Chapter Twelve, Two of Everything

AN: Hello, all. Sorry this update took a while. I haven't had internet for the past two weeks, but I've got it back now, and this is the longest chapter yet, so enjoy!

"You should definitely call him!" Kelsey yelled over the music. "He's so hot!"

We had been there for almost two hours, and Kelsey had insisted that I do shots with her when she found out Brian's brother was engaged. My head was swimming with the joy of possibility. There were a little over twenty people there—all scattered throughout the apartment, laughing and talking and singing along with the music. I'd lost track of how much I'd had, but I wasn't feeling sick or tired. The night felt young and frantic—a night that could bring anything. "No, he's not," I laughed. "He's really cold, actually!"

She laughed. "Cold?"

I bit my lip. "No, never mind. He's not cold. I lied; I'm sorry."

"That's okay," she nodded, "I love you, anyway."

"I love you, too!"

Rachael moved over to us, smiling. "How are my girls doing?"

Kelsey pulled her into a hug. "I love you, Rachael. Did you know that?"

She chuckled. She had not had nearly as much to drink as we had. "I know. And I love you, too. How are you feeling?"

Kelsey kissed her cheek. "Fantastic!"

"Good," she nodded and turned to me, "And you, Bella? How are you?"

"I'm okay," I said. "Kelsey thinks I should call Edward. Should I call Edward?"

"No," she said. "I don't think that's such a great idea right now. Do you want me to take your phone?"

A pang of anger ran through me, and my face burned with heat. I shook my head. "No, that's okay. I won't call him. Thanks, though."

"You are so beautiful, Rachael," Kelsey said, slurring her words a bit and looking serenely at Rachael's pacifying gaze.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she looked away from us to Brian, who was sitting by himself with a jug filled to the brim with vodka and lemonade. He didn't look so good. "I think I'm gonna go check on the birthday boy, okay?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, that's okay," she insisted. "You two stay here. Have fun."

I watched as she maneuvered over to Brian and sat down beside him. Kelsey started dancing to the music, and she grabbed my hands. I leaned into her. "Do you believe in good and evil?"

She didn't miss a beat. "No. I believe in happiness."

I liked that. "Me, too!"

"Do you believe in love?" she asked me.

"Yes," I said.

"Me, too," she said. "And I think that its okay if you love whoever you love, because all kinds of love are beautiful. And you can't help what kind of love you have."

I blinked slowly, trying to keep up with her words, which were coming out too quickly and hard to hear over the music. "You—" I smiled deviously, "You think I should call Edward Cullen."

She shrugged but smirked. "I think you should be happy. That's all. And I think that you would like to call Edward Cullen, because you are in love with him!" She giggled and brought her face close to mine. I could smell her sweat.

"Rachael will be mad," I said.

"Rachael should not make decisions for you, Bella!" she insisted. "You should be the only one making decisions for you." We moved for a few seconds to the beat before she took my face in her hands. "Listen. You're young. We're young. This is the time to figure things out, okay? And it's important that you don't go through life doing what you think is 'right' only to be all unhappy and bitter when you're old, okay? So, do it! Do what makes you happy, now, so that you can be happy later—in the long run. No regrets, right?"

I smiled. "No regrets."

She kissed my cheek then pulled my phone out of my pocket. "Call him!"

I leaned against a wall while I looked through my contacts, scrolling down to Edward's name. Kelsey stood in front of me, smiling encouragingly. He picked up after one ring. "Hello."

"Hello," I said, trying my best not to sound drunk.

"Bella?"

"Hi, uh," I considered, "Kelsey said that I should call you." Kelsey shook her head fervently. "Or no. I mean, she did say that, but that's not why I'm calling you."

"Are you all right, Bella?"

"I'm great! Thank you for asking," I giggled. "I—I called you—Edward?"

"I'm here," he said.

"Okay. See, I called you, because I—" I stopped myself, unsure of what I was going to say. "Well, because I would really like it if you were here right now."

"Where are you?"

"I'm at Brian's apartment," I said, looking around for Brian. "It's his birthday."

There was a long pause. "Are you drunk, Bella?"

"Um, well," I shrugged, "Yes, I am quite drunk."

"Ah," he said, sounding amused.

"But that doesn't mean I don't mean it when I say that I want you to be here. Because, I would want you to be here even if I was sober," I said.

"Are you sure about that?" he questioned. "What about Jacob Black?"

"Jacob Black is," I sighed, "I don't know. Why are you thinking about Jacob Black? Don't think about him right now."

"Tell him you love him!" Kelsey instructed me. "Tell him that! Then he'll come!"

Edward laughed. "Was that Kelsey?"

"You heard that?" I asked incredulously.

"I did," he said. "It sounds like you two are having a good time."

"Edward, please come!" I begged into the phone. "Please, please, please! I know I'm drunk, but I won't do anything. I swear. I just want to see you, tonight. Please?"

"I don't know, Bella."

"Please!" I said. "I just," my voice got quieter, "I just sort of need you right now."

He was silent.

"Edward? Are you there?" I asked franticly.

"I'm here." He sighed. "All right. Where does Brian live?"

"Really? Okay, he lives across campus from my apartment. On the forth floor," I said, my heart picking up speed at the thought of him being here. Kelsey threw her arms up triumphantly and moved away from me, into the crowd.

"All right," he said. "I'll find you from there."

"Thank you, Edward," I sighed into the phone, "I'm really happy you're coming. It means a lot to me."

He was quiet for a moment before he said, "I'll be there soon. Try not to have too much fun."

"Edward?" I whispered into the phone, so quiet that I couldn't hear it above the music.

"Yes, Bella," Edward asked.

"I'm not sure if Kelsey was wrong," I admitted. "About me loving you."

"Bella…" he sounded distraught.

"But maybe she was wrong. I don't know. I need to—I need to talk to you about it, okay? In person," I decided. "So you need to come here."

He groaned into the phone. "Or maybe you should call Jacob Black. Maybe you should be talking to him."

"I don't want to talk to him. Please, please, Edward!" I felt tears gathering at the base of my throat. "I'll wait outside for you. Please, get here soon." I didn't wait for him to answer, pulling the phone away from my ear and closing it with one swift motion. I took a few deep breaths, trying to compose myself, and brushed my fingers under my eyes.

Outside it was chilly. The night air hung heavy above me, large dark clouds looming overhead, ready to dispense torrents of freezing rain. It seemed impossible that it was almost Spring. The jump in seasons in Seattle was quick—it went right from freezing winter rain to heavy summer showers with hardly a break in between.

I wasn't alone outside. There was a couple huddled together, sharing a cigarette, and a few people walked by, headed back to campus after their night out had ended. I checked my phone obsessively. 12:42. 12:43. 12:44. I felt much dizzier outside, away from the music and my friends. My mind raced in a confused rush—anxious and frustrated and needing Edward to be here.

It felt like I'd been outside for an hour when he appeared, wearing a white button down shirt and carrying a coat over his arm. "Bella," he said, taking him my bare arms and legs with his trademark protectiveness.

"You came!" I said, tears filling my eyes as I pulled him against me into a hug.

"You must be freezing." He instructed, "Here, put this on." He wrapped his coat around me and pulled it closed at my neck. I was warmer instantly and surrounded by his intoxicating smell.

"Thank you," I said. "We don't have to stay here, if you don't want."

He nodded. "Yes, let's get you home, and maybe in bed. How's that sound?"

"You want me to go to bed?" I asked, and my mind flooded with nights from a different life. "Will you stay with me? Like before?"

"We'll see, Bella," he said.

"Are you angry at me?" I put a hand on his shoulder to balance myself.

"Not at all," he said, holding me close against his side, as we started moving towards my apartment. "Did you say goodbye to your friends?"

"No," I realized. "Oh! I should call them." I pulled out my phone and fumbled to get it open.

"Here," he said, taking it from me, "Allow me."

I watched as he dialed and held the phone up to his ear. After a moment, he squinted. "Kelsey's not answering. Should I call Rachael?"

"Yeah," I said. "She's my best friend. Or—she's one of them. I have two best friends. Aren't I lucky? Some people don't have any, and I have two!" A rush of vertigo passed through me, and I laid my head down on his shoulder. "I have two of everything."

"Hmm," he said, dialing again waiting for an answer.

Rachael picked up. "Well, hello, Isabella. Where did you run off to? You okay, sweetie?"

"Hello, Rachael," Edward said. "This is Edward Cullen, speaking."

I sighed against him. "She's gonna be mad."

Edward pulled me closer. "I just wanted to let you know that Bella called me, and I'm taking her back to the apartment, all right? She's going to go right to bed when we get there."

"If you stay with me," I amended quietly.

"Okay, fine," Rachael said curtly, obviously aggravated.

"All right," he said. "Have a good night." I didn't hear her give any answer, but Edward sighed and closed my phone.

I glared up at him. "Did she hang up on you?"

He rubbed my arm. "She has good reason to be upset."

I shook my head. "Not with you. You're not dating Jacob Black."

"No," he said, his voice heavy. "That's you."

I sighed into him. "I'm dizzy."

He nodded. "Yes, I'd imagine you would be. Do you know how much you drank?"

I gulped. "A lot." He gave me a tight smile, but his eyes were serious. My brow furrowed. "You know, I don't think it's right for you to judge me for drinking. I'm a person…in college…and tons of people drink. It's not a big deal."

He nodded. "I agree completely. I'm not judging you."

"Yes, you are," I grumbled. "And it's not like you're such a saint, either. I mean—I've never killed anybody."

"Shh, Bella," he pulled me closer, "Could you try not to yell that?"

I looked up at him with wide eyes. "Am I yelling?"

He smiled kindly. "You are, yes."

Ducking my head into his neck, I whispered, "I'm sorry. I'll be quiet." I inhaled his scent as we walked. He was carrying most of my weight. "I don't want to fight with you. Do you promise you're not judging me?"

"I promise," he said. "I wouldn't think of judging you."

I smiled against him. "Because you love me?"

He sighed. "We're almost there, Bella. Do you think you can make it up the stairs, or would you like me to carry you?"

"Edward," I scolded. "It's very rude not to answer someone when they ask you something."

"Bella, please," he said. "You're not yourself right now. I'm not sure this is the right time for this conversation."

"But I am myself," I insisted. "I'm more myself now than I usually am. I'm honest now! And, honestly, Edward I love you!"

"Bella," he said, warning.

"No," I pushed away from him, so I could look him directly in the eye. "I mean it!" I cried as tears pooled in my eyes and my head spun. "I really do! And I know I shouldn't, but I can't not love you!" I smiled through tears. "Edward, I love you! I love you!"

"Shh, Bella," he said, looking at me with the most pained expression. "Please."

"No, Edward!" I held my arms out, feeling the weight of the words lift from my shoulders and mind. This moment felt special, true, and almost magical. I could see our apartment complex nearby, but Edward and I were the only people outside. He reached out for me gingerly as I backed away from him. "I love you! I really, really—"

"Bella!" Edward was at my side in a second. Somehow, I had ended up on the ground.

"Ow," I groaned. "That hurt."

I stifled a giggle, as Edward worriedly shook his head. "Are you all right?"

"I'm great!" I told him. "It's just these stupid shoes!" I reached for my feet, but Edward's hands got there first, ice cold against my feet.

"Bella," he stared at my borrowed high heels. "Your ankle." He gently touched my right ankle. "That doesn't hurt?"

"No," I sighed. "Well, really, I can't feel my feet right now. Or my hands. Or my mouth." I laughed. "Is there something wrong with my ankle?"

He sighed. "Very possibly." He shook his head. "Let's get you inside, and I'll look at it."

I giggled when he picked me up. As we entered the apartment building, I was muttering to his shoulder, "It's okay if that ankles not working, cause I have two of them. I have two of everything."

AN: It's very difficult to come up with new witty ways to ask you to review. So I'll just go with blunt honesty-Review!

Also, as a complete side note, if you enjoy (Drunk) Bella and Edward interaction, you could check out one of my other stories, Still, it's short and sweet and rather different from this particular encounter. Heh.