Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the universe S Meyer created. There may (or may not) be strong language or subjects in this chapter...

Come Out
Chapter 16

"Bella! Bella wake up!" A deep voice was whispering in my ear. I tried to swat at whoever was there, but my arms couldn't move, like someone had tied me down. I opened my eyes to see someone else's sleeping face very close to mine.

Edward? What was he doing here? Flashes of us at the hospital and this morning appeared in my mind, and I remembered everything. Unfortunately...

"Hey sleepyhead, You might want to get up before everyone comes upstairs to see you guys fondling each other," Jake snickered leaning over us.

"What? Fondling? Wait, who everyone?" I questioned blinking my eyes at him.

"My dad and your dad and Sue and all of the other guys."

"Why?" I groaned.

"Just come on. Wake up Romeo here and get downstairs," he told me heading for the door.

"He's not my Romeo," I grumbled.

"You sure?"

YES. I wanted to tell him. It seemed like forever ago when Edward told me he just wanted to be friends, but I remembered it very well.

"You got two minutes. I can't stall them any longer," he sighed when I didn't answer.

"Thanks," I whispered as he left the room. I looked back down trying to pry myself away from Edward. One of my legs was trapped between Edward's and the other was hitched over his hip. One hand was gripping his shirt and the other clutched in his. I groaned when I realized I didn't want to move. I wanted to stay here forever and more.

"Oow!" I yelped when something jabbed the bottom of my foot.

"Hmmm," Edward stirred and his eyes flickered open. "Hi..."

"Hi..." I mumbled gawking at his hazy stare forgetting the pain in my foot.

"Hi..." he smiled.

"Hi..." I bit my lip. Our faces were way too close and if I leaned up just right our lips could touch. I closed my eyes and tried my best to pull away.

"How long were we asleep?"

"Uh, I don't know. But uh, people are here. Downstairs. My dad's home."

"Oh shhh- is it okay that I'm here. I didn't mean to stay, but you were clutching my shirt so tightly and I didn't want to leave you alone. I th-"

"No its okay. My dad asked you to drive me home so he'll be fine with it," I told him as we untangled ourselves, him falling off the bed. He lifted the covers and pulled out a sock before sitting down to pull it to. It must have been one of his toe nails that stabbed me. Damn.

"They let your dad out already? Shouldn't he stay over night?"

"Yeah, but my dad's worse than a mule."

"So that's where you get it," he grinned as I sent him a small glare.

"Oh Bellllaaaa," Quil's voice sounded from the stairs, and I groaned.

"Great."

"Um, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but it can wait for a little while. But I definitely want to talk to you tonight though."

"Alright," I nodded completely unaware of what he wanted to talk about.

"Bella!" Quil snapped.

"I'm coming!" I yelled back, not wanting to deal with anyone. Even though I had just taken a four hour nap, I was exhausted.

I heard a low rumble of voices as I downed the stairs - slipping on the last one. Fortunately - or unfortunately or however it was - Edward caught me, and I shivered when his hands slipped under the hem of my shirt, feathering the skin there.

"Bella can you ever move without falling?" I heard Embry from the living room.

"Can you ever talk without sounding like an idiot?" I called back.

"Rarely," Sue piped up and I smiled when I saw her standing behind Dad where he was settled in his chair. The guys laughed at Embry's expense, and they all continued to joke around as I fell into the couch next to Paul, and Edward leaned against the arm rest.

"Remember when Pretty Boy and Blondie moved down here and Jake convinced us that they were stealing Bella away so we would come over here and spy on them," Jared laughed.

"And then again when her and Pretty Boy started dating!" Embry laughed.

"Yeah I'm surprised he hasn't made us come over here to spy on Edward and other the Cullens," Jared eyed Jake.

I looked down at my lap feeling Edward stiffen beside me. Normally I would have blushed, but there was nothing for me to blush about. Blushing would have meant possibilities of a me and Edward. But there weren't... I glanced back up at Jake and he shifted his weight thinking that this wasn't funny.

Holy crow what cant they just drop that already, Jake gave me an apologetic look and crossed his arms. He glanced between me and Edward and sighed. And why can't those two just make out already? ...But she said if I did it... then she would have to too. Too toos? Two tos? Tutus? Too many tos... She would have to do it as well.

"Bella? You in there?" Paul nudged me with his elbow.

"What? Yeah," I nodded feeling grateful that he hadn't scowled at me in a long, long time.

"Well that answers that question," Seth laughed. I looked around not knowing what was going on.

"Bells, you remember when you were five, and we went fishing and you wouldn't get in the boat without Jacob? You thought I – I was going to sink my side of the boat. You thought - thought that with Jake you could level it out," Dad hiccupped from laughing so hard.

"Yeah I remember..." I knew it was funny, but it wasn't that funny. It must have been the drugs kicking in...

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Jake's deep voice sounded in my ear. But it wasn't my ear he was whispering into...

"Remember that time we married them?" Billy grinned at Dad. "Though... they could be legally married now... right?" he wondered as I felt Paul get up from his seat. I didn't dare look up at them.

"Well we were captains of the boat, and they had parental consent… but I think you have to have a license to marry people, and they were only six. I think-"

As soon as the back door shut closed, the room exploded with whispers and movement. Billy wheeled himself toward the windows as the others hurried behind him.

"Whoa where's the fire?" Dad asked them, confused.

"Man, get over here. You're going to miss it. It's finally happening!" Billy yelled in a whisper.

"What's happening?" Edward asked me softly.

"I think Jake is telling Paul that he... likes him."

"Oh..." Edward shook his head. "I didn't know that they... I guess I'm not very observant."

"Not observant? Yeah right, it's ridiculous how observant you are..." I told him.

"Hmm..." he pushed off the arm rest and held out a hand to pull me up. "So we're all just gonna watch?'

"Yep I guess. I would shoo them away, but I know they've been waiting a long time for this."

"Oh..." he nodded.

I leaned up on the tips of my toes looking over Seth's shoulder. Paul and Jake were standing out in the yard and both of them fidgeting. Jake had his arms crossed rubbing the skin of his elbow, and Paul was snapping the rubber band on his wrist.

"What are they saying? Jared, read their lips!" Quil elbowed him.

"I don't know how to do that! I'm mocking people when I do it."

"Shut up, will you!" Sue scolded them, and they fell silent.

I could have told them what they were saying or at least thinking, but I didn't. I wasn't trying to listen either. I reached behind me and grabbed Edward's hand. This was their moment, and we were intruding enough already.

Jake was saying something, and Paul had his head bowed not looking at him.

"Five bucks, Jake chickens out," Embry whispered.

"Shut the hell up dude!" Seth whispered. "Don't jinx them!"

Paul's head snapped up and his mouth fell open. Jake's mouth was moving fast, and he looked panicked; and then Paul was smiling as he took a step closer to him. Everyone in the room held their breath as Paul took another step.

"Kiss him!" A loud voice shattered the silence and everyone including Jake and Paul jumped looking at Dad. "Kiss him!" he waved out the window, and Jake grinned taking the last step and placed his hands on Paul's face pulling his lips to his.

The room broke out into laughter and cheers. Someone opened the back door and the other guys ran out to congratulate them - jumping and tackling them to the ground. It was kind of beautiful how happy everyone was.

"Real nice," Sue smirked at Dad as he looked back at her confused.

"What?"

"Nothing," she leaned into his good side and he wrapped his arm around her.

"This definitely made up for today," I looked up at Edward who squeezed my hand.

"Good…"

"Do you think you can help me nail shut his windows?" Billy asked Dad as the others started to come back inside.

"I don't think that's gonna stop them," he snorted. "But I'll help you put a lock on your fridge..."

"No, they broke the last one, remember?" Billy said wheeling himself out of the way as Jake and Paul were pushed through the door.

"Oh right," he nodded sitting back down in his chair.

"Okay okay, stop pushing!" Jake grinned as he and Paul were thrown onto the couch, and the rest us settled into the floor. I did however blush this time when I accidentally sat on Edward. He was still holding my hand and when he sat down, I sort of …fell.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to," I winced at him.

"I want to be here," he reassured me by squeezing my hand. I turned back to Jake and Paul who were being harassed with I-told-you-so's and you're-idiots-for-taking-so-long-and-wasting-our-lives-with-so-much-tension's.

"I don't understand how you guys even knew," Paul covered his face with his free hand.

"Son, I might be physically retarded, but I'm not mentally. No offense Quil." Billy quipped.

"None taken," Quil shrugged. "Hey wait!" They continued to jabber and poke fun at each other.

"Alright, alright, I think that's enough for tonight gentlemen," Sue cleared her throat.

"No no, let themmm…" Dad yawned. "Stay."

"Time to go kids," Billy agreed starting to herd them out of the house. They all said their goodbyes with groans and pats on the back.

"Hey," Jake whispered pulling me away. "Let's hear it…"

"What?"

"Please don't make me say it, and I only want to hear it one time from you."

"Oh, well I soooo told you so. I think I deserve something as a reward for encouraging you to finally do it," I smiled.

"Yeah right, if you mean that it was the pathetic way you and Edward were acting that gave me enough courage…" Jake snorted. "I did it so now you have to do it. Go. I'll wait, so I can tell you I-told-you-so too."

"Uh that would be unnecessary," I bit my lip. "I sorta already did it this morning…"

"What do you mean?" he blinked.

"I mean I asked him. He said he just wants to be friends. The end."

"What?" he gaped. "That idiot! Wait, what do you mean you asked?"

"Jake… can we not do this now. I'm tired."

"This is ridiculous Bella. I'm coming over here tomorrow and we're going to deal with this once and for all."

"Alright fine," I surrendered. I was way too tired to talk him down or to even think about it. "See ya," I waved him off as he walked out the front door.

"Hey," Edward came up behind me. "I think I'm gonna take off too," he said softly in my ear.

"What about that thing that you wanted to talk about? Wasn't it important?" I asked him not really sure if I wanted to talk tonight. I didn't know if it was good important or bad...

"No, it can wait until tomorrow. You've had a really... long day," he hugged me, and I practically melted into him. "I'll come by before school?"

"Sure, sounds good," I nodded pulling away from him, and I watched him as he got in his shiny car and left.

"No, I don't like him like that. I don't have a crush on Edward," Dad mocked me in a high pitched voice.

"Dad he doesn't like-"

"Whatever you say Bells," he shook his head.

We settled in the kitchen where Dad and I rested at the kitchen table and Sue fiddled around the kitchen. I tried to help her, but she insisted that I needed to sit down and rest for a while. It wasn't until she set down a plate of macaroni and cheese did the question popped into my mind. How long was Sue staying here?

"Thanks, um if you weren't already invited, you're welcome to stay... overnight," I glanced at Dad who was smiling at me before looking over at Sue.

"Thanks Bella," she smiled. "I'm -" The front door flew open and Rose stormed into the room. She was breathing hard and her eyes were red. Jasper followed her in panting.

"You were shot?" she growled at Dad.

"But he's okay. See he's home already," Sue tried to be reassuring.

"If he was okay, why did he out his secret girlfriend who's a nurse? Why are you here if he's okay?" Rose asked angrily, tears threatening to form. "I can't believe you guys didn't call us or that I had to hear it from my mom who heard it from Mrs. Goldstein at the store."

"Rose..." Dad winced standing up as he pulled on her hand. "I'm sorry," he hugged her whispering something into her ear. They pulled away from each other and Rose wiped her eyes.

"Um, I'm sorry for my behavior," she sniffled as Sue nodded. "Well um, we should be going now," Rose mumbled continuing to wipe her face and turning away. She never liked people seeing her cry.

"Call if y'all need anything," Jasper nodded wrapping an arm around her. "See you in the morning Bells."

I waved feebly at them from my spot too tired and too hungry to be concerned about their feelings. Today had been an emotional rollercoaster with so many loops and downs. The only upsides had been that Dad was alright and that Jacob and Paul were finally together.

After I finished three helpings of mac and cheese, being shooed away from the dishes in the sink, and kissing Dad goodnight, I finally went to bed hoping that I was too tired to dream anything.

…

I digged my head into my pillow trying to get more comfortable. I was exhausted, but my body couldn't understand that. I'd been falling in and out of sleep for hours, and the smell of Edward lingered around me. I couldn't decide if I should wash the sheets now or treasure them while they lasted. Washing them would allow me to start my new mantra - We're just friends. We're just friends...

I nuzzled my face into my pillow not caring that this was completely stalkerish.

My alarm started beeping loudly, and I cringed at the awful noise slapping at it to turn it off. Then a different noise startled me, and I sat up blinking at the window. When Edward said that he'd come by the morning, he meant he was using the front door, right? When the tapping started again, I jumped up from the bed wiping away the sleepiness from my face and running a hand through my hair. It was still dark outside, and I could barely see Edward through the glass.

"Hey what are you -" I gasped. "Da-!"

"Shut up, please," he whispered harshly covering my mouth with his hand. James finished climbing through the window and I breathed deeply through my nose trying not to panic. He did say please, he wasn't going to hurt me. Probably… and I could always hurt him. I knew my self defense moves.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry about your dad, and I hope you'll keep an eye on my grandfather...?"

I nodded in response.

"Good, and I'm sorry for scaring you too. I never meant for any of this to happen. I needed the money for my girlfriend – she's pregnant, and selling drugs was the quickest way. But now some of the guys that I worked for are gonna come after me because they think I talked because I'm the new guy. I'm just - were leaving. But you'll tell him this too? That I am ashamed for doing this, and I'll let him know that I'm safe as soon as I am."

I nodded again and he removed his hand.

"Thank you," he muttered and climbed back out the window. I waited as he disappeared and the scraping noise stopped. Then I screamed.

"Dad! Dad!" I yelled hurrying down the stairs - my foot slipping causing me to skid down the last five steps. "Ow..."

"Bella?" Sue spoke softly from the living room. "Bella are you okay?" she asked entering the kitchen sleepily.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied standing up - a jolt of pain surging in my ankle.

"How about you sit down and we put some ice on it?" she helped me hobble to the kitchen table.

"Bells?" Dad grumbled coming down the stairs. "What happened?" His arm was still in the sling, but he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and I tried my best not to wonder how he changed or exactly who helped him.

"She fell down the last few stairs. Her ankles swollen, but that's a good sign. She probably didn't break it, but she might need to wear an ace bandage today and keep off of it as much as possible," Sue spouted off as she cradled my ankle with an ice pack in her lap.

"How you feeling?" he asked patting the top of my head, but still looking at Sue, grinning.

"Shouldn't I be asking you?" I snorted. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Fine and dandy," he grinned pulling things out of cabinets with his good hand. "I'm thinking that cereal is good enough for today."

"Sounds good," I knitted my eyes at him. I'd never seen him so... cheery. Maybe it was the drugs again. I didn't want to ruin his mood, but I had to tell him about James.

"I see you've taken your meds this morning," Sue laughed.

"Actually I haven't taken them yet. Maybe I'm just in a good mood," he smirked pouring out three bowls.

"Uh Dad?"

"Yes...?" he handed me and Sue each a spoon.

"The reason I was running down the stairs was because someone was in my room."

"What?" he froze.

"James - he wanted to talk. He told me he was sorry and he was leaving Forks. And he asked me to make sure Mac was okay."

"Damn it, are you okay? Did he hurt you? How'd he even get in?"

"I opened the window."

"Why would you do that?"

"I thought it was..." I trailed off.

*Knock Knock*

I breathed grateful for the distraction.

"I'll get it," Sue got up carefully placing my foot in her chair. I felt my stomach flip when I heard his voice.

"What else did he say?" Dad asked still focused on James.

"He said that he got his girlfriend pregnant and that's why he starting selling. He was also worried that some of the guys he worked for were going to come after him."

"Edward's here to see Bella," Sue came back into the kitchen with Edward who looked sheepish.

"Babe can you run up and get the painkillers and my gun?" Dad asked Sue. I stiffened at the awkward word – babe, and Edward stopped short shifting in the doorway. Dad continued eating his cereal as Sue slipped out of the room. "Mmm Edward, have a seat." he chewed waving at the chair next to him.

"Uh good morning, Chief Swan," Edward nodded – nervous for some reason…

"Oh, don't worry. The gun's not for you," I told him realizing what he walked in on.

"Are you sure he didn't touch you?"

"Dad, I'm fine. He didn't hurt me," I rolled my eyes. I knew he was just being a concerned father.

"What happened?" Edward looked serious, especially sitting next to my father.

"James – the kid we got the lead on the case from, visited Bella this morning in her room," Dad explained nearly growling.

"What!" Edward looked between me and Dad. I wondered if he thought we were joking.

"It was nothing," I rolled my eyes again, frustrated. "He just wanted to apologize and explain everything. It was nothing," I repeated myself as Dad huffed.

"So Edward... What are you doing here so early?" he asked seeming very nonchalant.

"Here," Sue appeared with a glass of water and a couple of pills.

"Thank you," he swallowed them quickly, before picking up his gun.

"Um, Bella left her truck at school yesterday so I was going to drive her to school. But since - well I guess you aren't going to school today," Edward answered watching as Dad checked the clip. Sue lifted my ankle and placed it back in her lap when she sat down.

"Oh I'm still going," I told them.

"No you're not." I expected to hear that from Dad or Sue. But not Edward.

"Excuse me?" I looked at him.

"You can't go to school when you've just sprained your ankle. Especially since you had an intruder in your room this morning," he argued, running a hand through his hair.

I huffed, my eyes hurting much so much rolling. "And why not?"

"Because you're not supposed to be walking around that much. You'll end up doing more damage to your ligaments. You've had a rough day yesterday and even this morning. Just take a break and rest for a while," Edward exhaled.

"It's not even that bad of a sprain…"

"Doesn't it hurt when you do that?" Edward asked tilting his head a little.

"What? No…" I tried to wiggle my ankle but it was numb from the ice pack that Sue was still holding.

"No, I meant your eyes…" he continued looking at me with concern. I blinked at him until I understood what he meant, and then I couldn't help myself. I started laughing.

I ended up staying home. Much to my dismay, everyone was right and I was exhausted. Everything was taking its toll of me, and for once, it had nothing to do with my curse. I was drained, bushed, and every other clichéd word for tired. I felt like all of them.

The solution? Laying around in the living room with Dad watching movies and playing Nintendo as Sue nursed us and fed us some crazy Quileute tribal food that we only saw at Thanksgiving. It was kind of a surreal and strange bonding experience for the three of us. As much as I loved Sue, it was still kind of unsettling when drug-induced Dad interacted with her. Like when we started watching You've Got Mail and Dad started to tear up and told Sue that the Cranberries' song Dreams was my song apparently. But this was kind of perfect. The whole situation – Dad and Sue's relationship brought out into the light and me trying to adapt to it. It couldn't have happened in a better way… perfect, but twisted.

By three o'clock, I was pacing the living room. My ankle was fine, and even though I had the Dad and Sue distraction, Edward still kept sneaking back into my head. He still needed to talk and I didn't like guessing what that could be about.

*knock knock*

I groaned at the noise. All day the doorbell had been ringing and the door knocking with people appearing with casseroles, baked goods, and offerings of help. Word of mouth had gotten around, and if that hadn't done it, the Forks Gazette finished the job. On the front page was a formal picture of Dad in his uniform with a headline of 'Chief Injured in Line of Duty' and a lengthy story of how he was a hero and gave the PAPD its lead to bring down Port Angeles' own drug lord. Dad blushed and I put it on the refrigerator using all of our magnets to hold it up.

"Hello," I plastered on my best fake smile as I opened the door. I was grateful for everyone's support, but I could only be so nice to so many people in day. "Edward?" I looked up surprised, and my smile turned into a real one.

"Hey I brought you your truck," he said holding out my keys. I glanced behind him at my truck, parked in the driveway.

"Oh thanks," I'd forgotten about it after I'd given him my keys this morning, but then I had expected Rose or Jaz to drive it home.

"You didn't miss much at school. The trig test is Friday though… so how're you feeling?" he scratched his face looking down at my ankle.

"Uh good…just a little confined," I stammered still a little embarrassed from this morning. Thankfully I had changed out of my pajamas around lunchtime.

"Good, well I should get going…"

"Wait, what about that thing you wanted to talk about?" I stopped him. It had been nagging me all day there was no way I was letting it go.

"Oh, well I thought it could wait. I don't want to overwhelm you or-"

"Edward," I cut him off. "Maybe I want you to overwhelm me."

"Uh…" Edward stuttered and I stopped to think what I just said. What did I just say?

"Do you want to go for a walk? I need the fresh air," I suggested eagerly.

Edward led the way holding my hand telling me about his day and joking how bad it sucked that I wasn't there.Just friends, just friends, just friends… I had to keep telling myself or otherwise I wasn't going to make it. He took us behind my house toward the wooded path that led to his house. We fell silent when we got to the meadow, and we settled down in the high grass of wildflowers in our usual spots. It was so peaceful that I'd almost forgotten about the thing Edward needed to talk about... Actually I didn't forget. I couldn't. For some reason, I needed to talk to him about it. It just felt important.

I picked at the grass as I watched Edward. I could see flickers of movement behind his closed eyelids, and his fingers were tapping in a flowing rhythm against his chest. I tried with all my might to open his mind or try to at least will him to speak.

"Is there something wrong?" Edward spoke, his eyes still closed.

"What?" I froze, surprised. Did I do that?

"You're practically mowing the lawn over there," he smirked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I'm just anxiously waiting for you to tell me whatever it is you need to talk about."

His eyes popped open then, and he seemed nervous as he sat up turning towards me.

"Oh... You really do want to talk about that huh?" he stammered.

"Yeah it seemed important," I urged him to continue.

"It is... I just keep putting it off. Sometimes I get really nervous. Usually it's strangely balanced with confidence, yet now I'm nervous and I wish I could switch over to being confident like sleep mode or some shit," he babbled on.

"Edward, what are you saying?" I asked him confused. I actually almost regretted asking him. "Just spit it out…"

"Yesterday I should have told you that I didn't want to be your friend anymore," he blurted out, and I had to let it sink in to understand what he said. Just friends, just friends, not friends - my mantra started to skip falling off its track. My heart felt like it was doing the same thing. Edward didn't want to be my friend.

"Oh…" I sat up turning away from him. This was really uncomfortable, and I was angry that he was doing this here. Leaving me heartbroken in my meadow? In the middle of the woods? Genius.

"Bella-"

"I really wish we did this maybe closer to my house, so I won't have to walk home by myself this late," I lied. Late? It was maybe 4 o'clock. I was pretty pissed that I was going to have to stumble home blindly because I'll be crying so hard. I hated crying now. Nothing about it was stress relieving anymore. It just hurt and made me feel like I couldn't breathe and my eyes actually ached.

"Bella wait," he grabbed my elbow when I moved to stand up. "Wait, that's not what I meant. Wait please!"

"What," I choked back my tears, not wanting to make him feel guilty for making me cry. How could that have meant something else?

"I - I shit, this is not how this is supposed to happen. I'm supposed to be smooth and romantic. Not being a total dick," he scolded himself.

"What?" I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. He looked back up at me and his face softened.

"I love you," he spoke slowly. "I'm in love with you. I want to be your boyfriend. I want you."

"What?" I blinked confused.

"Can I say it any other way?" he grinned. I continued staring back him. Was this happening? Really, actually happening? In real life? My life? "Bella? You're supposed to say something back..."

"I - I," I stammered smiling as he pulled me closer to him.

"You what?" he whispered. Our noses were almost touching, and I could feel his warm breath on my skin.

"I love you t-" His lips were on mine, and I could feel a spark deep inside me tingle. Everything was tingling actually. His lips were soft, and his hands caressed my face, and I couldn't help but press up against him wanting more.

"Why are you crying?" he breathed pulling away, resting his forehead against mine. His thumbs moved back and forth against my cheeks wiping away my tears.

"I don't know," I mumbled gasping for air. I hadn't realized I even was. I guess Edward did overwhelm me. "Will you make it stop?"

"I'll try," he grinned dropping his lips back to mine.

AN: I know I'm late I suck. There's more fluffiness to this scene, but I figured you'd rather have this now and that later. I got that from all of your discrete and cryptic reviews. : )

I hope it was what you guys were hoping for and y'all have a good weekend.

THANKS FOR READING!