A/N: Alright, so this chapter is a little short but I wanted to split up this and the convention. So, I hope you lke it alright! Thanks for the reviews and continued support, especially from my ladies at Twilighted!

Caitlin, Gabby, Kristen...throws a gang sign

And the wonderful Bridge. She's an amazing beta.

Disclaimer: not mine

Bella

Dull pain. Dull, blinding, shooting pain.

That was the only feeling that hammered through my head in sharp pulses. A moan escaped my parched mouth, and I attempted to roll onto my stomach. No such luck.

A quiet chuckle resounded from the side of me.

I felt my senses begin to sharpen slightly. I could see a bright light from behind my closed lids. I really didn't want to open them; I didn't think I could.

"Bella-ella, open your eyes and I promise you won't be disappointed in what you see," a warm voice gently prodded. I felt my mouth fix into a frown. I shook my head lightly, hoping that the movement wouldn't piss my head off. I snuggled closer to the warm body next to me.

"Bella, come on. Open your eyes." I felt myself being shaken slightly, and I sighed in defeat. I cracked an eye open and saw a smiling Ryan propped up on an elbow and looking down at me. He was holding two aspirins in one hand, and I felt something cool placed on my lower back. Water bottle. He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

I smiled and flung an arm up haphazardly so I could retrieve the two pain killers from his hand. "Bless you," I croaked out. Ryan grimaced and turned his face away from mine.

"Your breath is intoxicating, really. Thank you for leaning directly into my face." He waved his hand in front of his nose, attempting to shoo away the smell protruding from my dry mouth.

I scoffed loudly and began to throw tiny punches against his hard chest. "Ugh! You are so mean! I spent half the night puking my guts out and you still have the audacity to be an ass. I love you too, Ry-ry." I smiled as I stated the hated nickname. His eyes widened playfully, and I felt his hands snake up my sides menacingly. I narrowed my eyes.

"What…no…" I stuttered as I took in his evil grin. Before I could muster anything clearer then broken words thanks to grogginess, Ryan's hands began their assault on my body, his fingers moving everywhere tickling patches of skin. A howl of laughter escaped my lips, and I struggled against his hands.

After a minute of teasing, Ryan's hands stopped and he looked down into my eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. I watched as the sparkling in his eyes turned into a darker shade. His blue eyes pierced through mine. I squirmed uncomfortably.

"I love you, Bella." Ryan stated quietly. His eyes held mine for a few more seconds; I felt his hand coast down my right side slowly.

"Um, you too…" I answered and attempted to pull my eyes away from his. I wasn't successful, though. Something about the way he was looking at me made me feel…

I couldn't place it. But it was different.

Two seconds more of this silent stare off passed by before Ryan finally tore his gaze from mine and looked out the window. I felt my breath move comfortably in and out of my lungs.

"Do you want to talk about last night?" he asked in a whisper.

"Ah…no, that's okay." I rolled away from Ryan's warm body to the other side of the bed so I could see what time it was. "We should probably get going. It looks like we have about two hours until the convention starts."

"Oh? Since when do you need two hours to get ready?" Ryan questioned. I felt the mattress dip slightly as he got off the bed and made his way over to the makeshift coffee pot that seemed to have been made specifically for elves.

"Since I know you want to perfect that mane you call hair into a sculpted beautiful mess," I shot back and rolled onto my back and stretched my limbs out, relishing the feeling as my muscles released from their tense positions. Ryan ignored my picking.

"He told me what happened, Bella. He wants you to know he feels terrible about it."

Oh what was this? Was he playing messenger? Edward was dead to me at this point.

"Well, I hate to throw stones, but I don't give a flying fuck," I answered, attempting to keep the creeping anger at bay. The humiliation from last night was still fresh. I dodged the subject. "Thanks for taking care of me last night. You didn't have to, I'm a big girl."

He turned away from microscopic coffee maker and looked at me incredulously. "Bella, seriously, you act like we haven't been mind twins for the past five years. What kind of bo…friend," Ryan stumbled across his words suddenly, his cheeks flushing a violent red. My eyebrows raised into a curious arch. Ryan? Blush?

"Friend," he reiterated firmly closing his eyes tightly, "would I be?" He finished and opened his blue eyes with a weak smile, then turned his attention back to trying to make coffee magically appear.

"Uh, I think the Keebler elves are on holiday, Ry. Maybe we could just stop at a shop on our way there."

Ryan nodded his acknowledgement with a solemn face and walked over to the window, watching the cars zip past the hotel from below.

I slowly began to work my way off the bed after pausing for a minute to achieve my sea legs. After assessing that I could indeed walk without angling my body towards disaster, I padded over to Ryan's still form and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, giving him a tight squeeze. His body tensed in response.

"Oh, sorry-" I said quickly as I loosened my grip around his middle. He stopped me midway.

"No…no…I just…talk to Edward, okay?"

Before I could open my mouth to ask the question swimming in my head, he unlatched my arms completely and made a bee-line towards the door adjoining my room to his. I felt my forehead crinkle and my lip jut out slightly as I looked at the now closed door.

Did I say something in my sleep?

I reluctantly sniffed under my arms.

Do I offend?

I shrugged off the gnawing feeling in my stomach and walked over to the tiny closet I had shoved my suitcase into. After successfully retrieving my bag from the clutches of the small door frame, I heaved the bag onto my bed with a small grunt.

I didn't remember it being this heavy…

I felt my forehead crinkle in confusion, hoping I didn't accidentally pick up Ryan's bag. I really didn't want to deal with Edward. Not with what happened last night.

Rejection took a swift kick to my gut and I felt my body weaken in pain and embarrassment. I practically threw myself at the guy and was shot down just as swiftly. I stopped my thought process abruptly with a sharp shake of my head-which I immediately regretted- and turned my attention back to my bag. I unzipped it slowly hoping with that the bag was indeed mine.

What I saw made me gasp in shock.

On top of a note and a bag Alice had undoubtedly shoved into my luggage while I wasn't looking, was a beautiful bouquet of lilies.

I stared at them in disbelief. I hardly noticed the white card stuffed into the top of the ribbon until my fingers brushed against the stiff edges as I gently caressed the smooth, creamy petals. With shaking fingers I picked up the card and opened it to read the contents.

Bella-

With you, there is no thought process; only feeling. Forgive me when those feelings rob me of my reasoning. I didn't mean to offend you last night as harshly as I had when I pointed out your excellent Magellan skills. Please accept these lilies as a token of my deepest apologies. They reminded me of you…

-Edward

I reread the note five times before his words began to fully sink into my fuzzy brain. I processed and broke down each word, trying to find a hidden meaning or agenda behind this gesture.

This wasn't the Edward I knew. Not at all. He didn't mean this, he just felt bad for calling out a stupid girl who has harbored a crush since her first day of college. This was a pity note; a "Hey, I know you made yourself look like an ass last night and you rubbed yourself against my small intestines, but hey! Friends?" note.

I crumpled the stiff paper between my fingers and threw it across the room.

I'd be damned before I accepted Edward Cullen's pity.

I looked down at the striking bouquet and picked it up gingerly, taking in the fragrant scent that swirled around me. My eyes closed as I took in a deep breath, letting the sweet smell fill my senses completely. My heart and eyes opened with a new feeling of grim determination.

I'd prove to him I didn't need this; any of it. I'd prove that I, Bella Swan, was simply drunk and feeling sappy and took advantage of the only male appendage in the firing zone. I would prove that I was over Edward Cullen.

With the bouquet still in hand, I marched over to the door that led to the room of shattered dreams. I flung it open with as much strength my frail state held and felt complete satisfaction as I heard the door knob bounce against the wall loudly.

A startled Ryan looked up from a newspaper.

"Where is he?" I growled through my teeth. Adrenaline was pumping through me now at an intoxicating rate as I realized what I was about to do. My stomach flopped in anticipation.

Ryan's startled eyes fell onto the bouquet I had clutched to my right side and his eyes narrowed. Silently, without asking what my damage was, he nodded towards the bathroom.

I gave him a quick nod in response.

Filling my lungs with a long, cleansing breath, I eased the air and nervousness out of my system quickly and stomped towards the bathroom door. Without knocking, I jiggled the handle. When I felt it move smoothly to the right, I pushed it open.

My breath caught in my throat.

Before my rude interruption, Edward had been leaning over the sink shaving, clad in only a crisp white towel hung very low on his hips, revealing a deep V. My lids fell heavy over my eyes, and a felt I slight smirk tug on my lips as I began to imagine what that V might lead to…

"B-Bella?" Edward stuttered as he took in what I'm sure was a crazed expression. He recovered quickly and I watched the familiar sexy smirk situate itself onto his plump lips.

"I see that you found my flowers," he stated while gesturing towards the tattered bouquet. I had it smashed against the counter. I guess his appearance still had a slight effect on me.

The sound of his tone snapped me out of the delicious spell I had been under, and I felt the blaze of determination burn through my system again.

"Yes, actually, I did," I replied crisply. I tilted my chin up slightly and squared my shoulders.

Bring it on.

He shifted his position from leaning over the sink to leaning against it. He wrapped his arms around his chest, completely forgetting the side of his face still slathered in shaving cream. His eyebrows rose to signal for me to continue.

I hit the lilies against his chest.

"No," I stated simply.

Edward's tongue flitted tantalizing slow across his bottom lip as he shifted his position slightly. I tried not to stare with an open mouth

"Sorry?" he asked.

"No," I stated again. "I don't want your pity."

Confusion flashed into his brilliant green eyes. I watched as the smirk fell from his face and turned to a slight frown.

"Pity? Bella, I do-" I cut him off.

"I don't need an explanation, Edward. I don't care, alright? It was a mistake. I was drunk and you just happened to fall victim to my sappy side."

I hit the lilies against him again. He winced. I smirked.

As if it truly hurt. He didn't know hurt until he was on the receiving end of a low blow.

"Take them back," I shoved them against his chest waiting for him to take them from me. His arms didn't move from the folded position against his chest.

"Please," I fished, hoping the pleasantry would encourage his hand to take the flowers.

Edward's green eyes took on a dark, intense gleam. He shifted from the sink so he was now fully facing me, looking down into my eyes.

Wasn't expecting that…

"No." he stated simply, just as I had.

I shoved the bouquet against him again.

"Yes,"

He stood his ground firmly.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Really?" I asked as vexation filled my already stubborn tone.

"It wasn't pity, Bella."

An unconvinced smile shined across my face. "Oh, really? Then what was it?"

"An apology." Edward said. I heard the slight hint of annoyance which only fanned the fire growing in my stomach.

"I don't believe it."

A sarcastic smile flitted across his beautiful lips, and a sound like a strangled cough tore through his vocal chords. "Obviously."

A look of offense crossed my face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" My voice rose an octave.

"That you're acting like a child. Are you really that stubborn to not see what is clearly in front of you?" He took a step closer.

My heart shuttered and my thoughts tripped into a tangled mess. I felt the warmth radiating from his body.

"I…uh…um…" I couldn't take my eyes off the abs that peeked through his taut skin. I bit my lip as I fought an urge to throw myself at the man I was trying to prove I had no feelings for. It felt like my body was being instinctively pulled towards him on an invisible electric string, urging me to close to the small gap between our bodies and finish the kiss that he had interrupted last night.

I felt his finger tuck under my chin and forced my eyes to look into his. When my eyes finally found his, I froze. He was closer then I had imagined. The tip of his nose brushed mine. His dark gazed intensified more.

"Do I need to spell out just how sorry I am?" he asked in a husky voice.

I felt a gooey substance plop onto my collar bone.

His shaving cream. I ignored it. I was too distracted by the tone he was using.

I felt my body begin to tingle as a finger brushed across my stomach lightly.

"Do I need to prove that this isn't pity?" His voice was deeper, sexier. It ignited my body with an insatiable need.

Before I could back myself away from the dangerous situation, before I could prevent Edward from trampling more on my already throbbing heart, his lips crashed roughly into mine killing any thought I had rolling in my head.