A/N: Thanks so much to MsWDarcy. You are the wind beneath my wings. (and I'm really excited to come visit you! yay!)

Thanks you nowforruin. (Completely amazing twilighted beta!)

Warning: adult content and violence. Violent Flashback! If you have triggers you may want to skip the italicized section.

Disclaimer: all recognizable characters and Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, the rest is copyrighted 2010 ElspethGordie

Chapter Twelve: Contention

I lost time. Between revisiting my lunch and returning to the cafeteria. I must have gone to the restroom and washed out my mouth, but I couldn't remember doing it.

He had told me that he wouldn't give me up, for any reason.

Sharp, tearing pain, penetrating. My hands held over my head with one of his, the tingling from lack of circulation. The inevitability of bruises. His sweat, dripped onto my face, and mixed with my tears. Salt on salt.

Grunting, moaning.

"You are mine, Isabella. Don't you ever forget that."

I tried to disagree. You would have thought that I had learned my lesson by now.

Ramming me against the wall, he complimented it with another slap to my swollen face.

He laughed. "I will always find you."

I walked up to the lunch table. Numb, or perhaps just terrified into numbness.

"Bella, what's wrong." Someone asked.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"What did the message say?" That was Angela, she was the only one who knew. "What did your mom say, Bella? Is she okay?"

I looked up sightless. "It wasn't my mom."

Another voice, deeper this time. "Who was it, Bella?"

"Just someone from home."

Two hands on each side tried to help me up. I thought it was Alice and Angela. "Come on, lets get you to the nurse."

That broke me out of whatever funk I had slipped into.

"No, no, I'm fine." I tried to wave them away. "I'm just surprised."

"Bells, you are obviously not fine. Just let them take you to the nurse." Emmett, this time. He was worried. I looked up to find his brow scrunched in concern.

"No. I'm really okay. I don't want it getting back to Charlie." I pushed away their arms. "He's worried enough."

Alice and Angela gave each other disbelieving looks, but sat down next to me. Jasper and Rose looked concerned, but refrained from saying anything. They were probably thinking back to my fall on Friday night. The number of weird occurrences was growing—so much for being normal.

I took a few deep breaths steadying myself. I had avoided Edward's gaze. I could feel it like a hot brand against my skin. The burning made me shiver.

He was the one who spoke earlier. He was worried, just like everyone else, but there was something else to his concern. He was angry too.

Alice didn't have the patience of everyone else. "Bella, you're not fine. You still look like you are going to pass out."

I rolled my eyes. Looking up at Edward I beseeched him to save me from his sister. He narrowed his eyes, but still elbowed Jasper.

"Ow." Jasper rubbed his side. "What?" Edward nodded toward Alice and then me. My eyes pleaded with him to save me.

"Oh, uh, Alice, can I walk you to class?"

She was instantly distracted. Her face lit up like a firework, as she scrabbled to grab her things, completely forgetting me. "Sure! That'd be great! See ya later guys!"

Jasper joined her and they began to exit the cafeteria. At the last second she turned, "Nice try, Bella. We're talking later."

Edward grinned. "And you get all the credit."

The bell rang to end lunch, and I quickly gathered my bag and books, throwing away any remnants of lunch.

Edward sneaked up next to me and grabbed my books out of my hands. "So, what happened?" He tried to say it nonchalantly—he needed to work on that.

I shifted my bag on my shoulder. "I was just surprised."

He turned to face me, and continued to walk, backwards. "Was it your ex?" I nodded. "And he called you?" I could almost hear his teeth grinding.

"He probably just drunk dialed me. I thought the message was from my mom, so it was unexpected."

He raised his eyebrows, like he didn't believe me. His knuckles looked white against my books. But he let it go. I didn't bug him about his ex; he shouldn't bother me about mine. Not that I care about him and his ex.

We reached the classroom before he could question me further. With one arm he offered to let me enter the classroom first, and silently followed me. I could feel the heat from his hand, that hovered at the small of my back, close, almost touching.

Class began, and Mr. Molena assigned us the unit project for the quarter. We had to come up with a presentation about one of the elements we had studied so far in Med Bio. Sitting silent through the whole class I wanted to say something, or write a note—do anything to talk to him. But despite what I wanted I knew what Dr. Cullen said in the hall Saturday morning was right. I had issues, and it wasn't fair to make him deal with them. I would be his friend, as much as I could, or stay away from him.

Then Mr. Molena also announced our partner assignments for the project. My partner was Edward, of course. I can't get a break.

OoOoOoOo

I dismissed the voicemail from my mind for the rest of the week. He didn't know where I was. It was obvious from the message that he assumed I was still holed up in Forks. He didn't know, and he could not get to me.

Edward and I made plans to begin hashing out our project over the weekend. It held the same point value as major test—it was going to be a lot of work. Taking so many honors courses was probably not a good idea. I had no idea how much school I'd miss when the baby came. I was seriously considering changing my schedule while I still could.

The week went smoothly, no touching, no episodes. That was probably because after Monday I had a squad of body guards where ever I went. I barely got a spare moment to myself. It was convenient that no one got close enough to me to brush against, or touch me. But it was annoying that my new found friends felt the need to smother me with protection.

The upside was that the skank brigade kept their distances. Or that could be because of Rosalie's not so subtle threats to those at her party. I wouldn't want to mess with her.

Surprisingly, my nausea also gave me a break. About time. I had been puking everyday since the middle of June. I was in my second trimester; the puking had to stop sometime. I still felt queasy at times, but not enough to hurl up my breakfast.

On Friday, during my last period study hall I got called into the guidance office. The messenger didn't know why, but I decided that it was a good opportunity to drop my AP Calc class. I was never going to catch up, let alone keep up.

The guidance counselor was different than the one I had spoken to last time when I dropped PE. She was in her mid-thirties, had her hair pulled up in a severe bun, and was very beautiful. She wore no makeup at all, but despite her beauty, the cold expression on her face said that the packaging did not match her personality.

"Hi, I got a message to come here. I'm Isabella Swan."

She looked at me dismissively, or perhaps it was disdain hidden by apathy. Then again, why did I care?

"Isabella—"

"Just Bella, please."

She raised one eye brow. "Isabella. I'm Ms. Siobhan Nickles. There seems to be a problem with your doctor's excuse from gym." She did not offer to shake my hand.

My forehead scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It says that Dr. Carlisle Cullen advised that you are excused from gym for a medical condition, but it does not say what that condition is."

I shook my head, not understanding.

"In order for you to stay out of your physical education class we must have knowledge of your condition. The school will be liable if we do not have record of 'said medical condition.'" She looked down her nose at me, as if I had made it all up in order to get out of gym. Honestly, I'm not that good.

"You can call Dr. Cullen if you wish, but the condition is entirely legitimate."

She tapped her pen in impatience. "I have already called him young lady, and he said due to doctor-patient confidentiality that he could not reveal…. whatever you have." She used air quotes around have.

"I don't understand why you need to know. It is intensely personal." I wrapped my arms around my middle. Why the hell did she need to know?

She daintily licked a manicured finger, and rifled through a stake of papers on her desk. "I also spoke with your father, Charlie Swan? And he denies any knowledge of a medical condition."

I sucked in a breath. "I haven't lived with him since I was ten. He wouldn't know."

"But you got this excuse from a local doctor?"

"Yes."

She released a sigh, and gave me a pity smile. "Isabella, the bottom line is we do not believe you have any condition that debilitates you from participating in a physical education class. You either tell us what the condition is, or you return to the class."

I sat their stunned. I was getting blackmailed. By a flipping high school guidance counselor! I said as much in reply.

"This is not blackmail, Ms. Swan. This is merely making sure that our students here, at Sierra Valley, fulfill all the requirements in order to graduate. You do want to graduate, correct?"

The little prick. "Yes, I want to graduate."

"Then you need to reveal your mystery medical condition, or return to gym."

Dammit.

I was back into a corner. I kinda wanted to throw something. "How confidential are the student files? Because I assume you'll place this in my file?"

She looked a little surprised. She obviously thought she had caught me in a lie, and she reveled in it. But if I was actually going to tell her the condition, perhaps she realized that she could be wrong.

"They are confidential, Isabella."

I looked her directly in the eye. That was not an answer. "Who has access to them?"

"Well, me, the administration, and your teachers."

I sighed in defeat, placing my head in my hands. "That's too many people." I didn't need the adults to turn against me before the students did. I didn't need faculty room gossip. Me and my wanton ways. I would have to suffer through gym, and pray that I wouldn't get hurt.

"Isabella, if you talk to me, maybe we can work something out." This was no longer the guidance counselor out for blood. Maybe behind her pristine finish she still wanted to help students, not just catch them.

She folded her hands nicely on the desk. "You tell me whatever it is, and I'll try to keep it out of your file."

Looking around carefully, I leaned towards her. I whispered. "I'm pregnant."

Her eyes narrowed, "Isabella, you can't expect me to—"

I leaned back, and crossed my arms. Glaring at her, "Call Dr. Cullen. He can verify it."

She stared at me for a minute, before she flipped through her papers, and picked up the phone dialing a number.

"Dr. Cullen? Siobhan Nickles from Sierra Valley High School. I have Isabella Swan with me right now, and she says that you can verify me of her condition…. Yes, one moment." She handed the phone to me, with one eyebrow raised.

"Hello?"

"Bella, how are you?"

I sighed. "I guess as good as I'll ever be."

He chuckled. "I want you to know that I have not shared anything with . I have maintained your privacy."

"Yea, I know. Thanks, but it was either tell, or have to still take gym. Or not graduate."

"Bella, she can't do that?"

"That's what she said."

He made a noise, that showed his aggravation.

"It's okay Dr. Cullen. I already told her, so if you could as well—so she'd believe me." I glared at her. "That'd be great."

"Okay, but something isn't right."

"Thanks a bunch Dr. C." I passed the phone back to Ms. Nickles.

She took the phone from me, and nervously clicked her finger nails against the desk with her other hand. "Dr. Cullen…. Yes. Well…. Oh… I'm just doing my job… Yes. Thank you." She gritted her teeth, and attempted a smile. She didn't succeed.

"Everything seems to be in order, Isabella. Why don't you head back to study hall."

"So no gym?" She shook her head sharply. "Yea, that's what I thought." I mumbled.

I stood to leave, but then remembered my impossible Calc class. "You know what Ms. Nickles. While I'm here I need to drop my AP Calc class. With my condition." I smirked sardonically. "I'm not going to be able to keep up."

She looked down at her papers, and nervously began rustling through them. "Oh, okay. I'll look into it, and let you know on Monday."

She refused to look up at me again, so I guessed that I was dismissed. Dr. Cullen must have said something to her. And I kinda wanted to kiss him. You know, just as a thank you.

OoOoOoOo

A another week passed. And honestly I hadn't felt better in years. The nausea had completely dissipated to reveal a ravenous appetite. I had gained eight pounds since May. And with the right tops to hide the growing bump, I looked good.

No love handles yet, but I had filled out in the butt and boobs. It was great. I know I'm a bombshell. At least when I don't stand next to Rose.

Ms. Nickles got me out of AP Calc into Angela's Precalculus class. It was a breeze in comparison. Especially since I already took it last year. It was kind of funny watching Ms. Nickles bend over backwards for me, making sure I was happy with my schedule. Whatever happened between her and Dr. C, sure made her jumpy.

It was Friday again, and Mr. Molena gave us class time to work on our group projects instead of lecture. Edward and I had decided on Sarcomere, which is all about muscle fibers, and how muscles contract. It was pretty interesting, plus I'd gotten to touch Edward's bicep. Yea, that was nice.

"So, I'll create the powerpoint, and you'll make the muscle fiber example."

"Sounds good." He nodded, jotting down his part of the project in his notebook.

We still had five minutes left; I tried to look busy. We had talked these last few weeks, but nothing more than surface level stuff. Plus he was extremely moody. Half the time he'd come into class, guns blazing, ready for a fight. I never understood why, because he always seemed fine at lunch, but some how those few minutes before class riled him up. Ironically, it was normally on the days that he didn't walk me to class. Either Emmett, Alice, or Rose would accompany me from lunch to Bio. His anger was never aimed at me, but his fists constantly clenched made me nervous. I was pretty sure he'd never hit me, but I vividly remembered what it feels like to be sucker punched.

Today he had walked me to Bio, and he was completely normal. I wanted to ask him about those other days, but something held me back. I had to remind myself that I had enough to deal with just like him, and we didn't need to pile onto each other's loads.

Edward looked up, pushing some of his messy hair out of his face, and grinned at me. I had been staring, and I didn't even realize it. He winked at me.

"Like what you see."

I blushed. "Conceited, much?"

He waggled his eyebrows at me. "I wasn't the one who was staring."

I thought fast. "Well, you have a little bit of lunch right there." I pointed at the corner of his mouth.

His eyes widened and he quickly wiped his mouth, only to find nothing there. "Har, har, funny Bella."

"I thought so." I giggled.

"Think you're so smart, huh?"

"Yep, pretty much!"

He leaned over to tickle me, reaching right for my growing tummy. I flinched away. He pulled his hands back, his expression hooded.

"Sorry."

"No, my bad." He started putting his stuff away, extremely focused on his book bag.

"Edward."

"Mmmhmm."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not a big deal." He was still acted like whatever was in his bag was utterly consuming.

"Edward." He didn't react. "Look at me!"

His head snapped up, as if of its own accord. The moment our eyes met it happened. I thought I was getting used to it. We talked in class, hung out after school with Alice and Emmett, but sometimes it still surprised me.

He could see me. Not the happy mask I wore everyday, but me. It was like some how he could see the hurts, the hopes, the needs of everything me. And part of me felt like I could see that in him too.

I had been snooping around. Despite my promise to keep him at arms length, I still wanted to know him. So I asked around, investigated.

He dated a girl last year. Victoria Knapp. She graduated last spring. She was the all American cheerleader, and she was beautiful. The rest was just rumors though. Some said that she was crazy, some said that she threatened to kill herself…the one I sympathized with most, was the rumor that she had an abortion, but something went wrong. Anything said about Edward was even more difficult to find, but basically whatever happened to Victoria, he was involved. Some blamed him.

Whatever had happened, I knew that it wasn't his fault. When I looked into his eyes, I saw he was haunted. I saw loneliness. I saw anger. I saw desperation. But what scared me most, is that sometimes, I wasn't quite sure, but sometimes I thought I saw home.

He cleared his throat and looked away. "Um…What are you doing this weekend?"

I glanced down at my lap, then tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I blushed. "Uh, I kinda have plans with Charlie… my dad."

His mouth turned down slightly, but he tried to cover it up with a cough. "Oh okay. Well, then I guess I'll see you on Monday?"

I nodded.

The bell rang, and I watched him rush out of the class.

Unfortunately, I didn't leave quick enough, because Mike Newton thought it was an opportunity to talk to me. Edward hadn't really given him a chance to get near me since the last time I was cornered. Just my luck.

He sauntered over to me, while I kept dropping my stuff in an attempt to hurry out before he got to me. "Hey, Bella."

"Hi, Mike." I stuffed the last of it in my bag, and slung it over my shoulder and across my body. I tried to make a break for it, but he stepped in front of me, blocking my exit. Again. FML.

"So how do you like it here?" He gave me a once over. I felt like I needed a shower.

"It's fine."

He leaned against the table, crossing his ankles like he had all the time in the world. There was only six minutes between classes, and I was going to be late to mine.

"Have you gotten to see much of the city?"

"Enough, I guess." What the hell was he doing?

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Spending time with my dad." I had a bright idea. "He's a cop. He's very protective of me."

"Where do you live?" Not even one moment dissuaded. I looked at him incredulous.

The late bell rang.

"Mike, I have to go to class." I looked at him pointedly, nodding to show I need him to move.

He didn't move.

"Why don't you go out with me tonight?"

Is he really that stupid? Did he hear nothing I said?

"Because Mike, I've already told you. No. Give it up." I tried to use my bag as a shield from touching him, and push him out of my way. It didn't work.

He tried to grab my wrist, but I jumped back in time.

He chuckled, like we were playing some game. "Just say yes to dinner." He walked towards me. Blocking me in against the wall.

All I had to do was stay calm. No need to freak out. He wasn't Jimmy. We were in a public place. Someone would hear me scream.

"Come on, you know you want to."

This guy did not know how to take a hint.

Using my bag as a shield hadn't worked. But it was pretty dang heavy. I pulled the strap over my head, so that I could free my bag.

"No. Now get the hell out of my way." He didn't move. "Wrong choice, buddy." I took the bag and swung it as hard as I could towards his lower half. If I was lucky I would nail him in the balls.

For once in my life, things went as I planned. I swung my bag at him, and managed to hit him directly in his "special place," as Mom used to call it.

It was like slow motion, he reflexively went down on his knees cupping his "injury." I took the chance to heft myself over the lab table (not as easy as it sounds), and book it out of the room.

I didn't even glance back to see if he was okay. I would be okay if that douchebag had to have his balls surgically removed. No need to corrupt the world with his offspring.

Just as I made it out into the hallway, I found Edward running down the hall to me. I was still breathing hard from my adrenaline rush. He skidded to a stop in front of me, out of breath as well.

"Are you okay?"

I flashed him a brilliant smile. "I'm just peachy."

"Where have you been? Jazz said you never got to study hall."

I bit my lip. I didn't even know that Jasper was in my study hall. "I kinda got cornered… by Mike."

His eyes widened. "You okay?" He looked me up and down, searching for some injury.

"I took care of it." Beaming again, I indicated with my thumb the biology room.

He hurried over to the door, ready to deal out justice. I happy followed behind. Peeking in the door, we found Mike still groaning on the floor, holding himself.

Edward looked over at me surprised. "You did that?"

I shrugged. "He couldn't take no for an answer."

He smirked, that unbelievably sexy half smile. "Nice."

I smiled back. "I try."

"Come on, Xena. Let's get you to class." He casually draped his arm over my shoulders, smiling. I sunk into his embrace.

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