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Chapter 25: Reactions

Bella's POV

I was sitting on the couch with Edward and Jasper flanking me. Alice sat in Charlie's rocker, and Sue was with Charlie in the kitchen. He had told us to go sit in the living room while he and Sue cleared the table. I thought he wanted time to prepare himself for what I was about to reveal. He knew it had to be serious as I was never one to over exaggerate. I listened as the water ran and dishes were placed in their proper spot. Edward was rubbing my back and holding my hand. Jasper and Alice were both sitting still and silent.

The water cut off and Charlie and Sue came into the living room. Alice got up from Charlie's usual spot and perched on the arm of the couch next to Jasper. Charlie sat heavily into his chair and pulled Sue into his lap. He ran a hand over his face roughly and blew out a long breath. I watched as he pulled Sue's hand into his own and looked at me trying to figure out what to say. I waited. I was so nervous about telling him my stomach was in knots.

"What did you mean by," he hesitated, "he talks with his hands?"

"Ummm," I looked at Jasper then Edward. Edward smiled at me then squeezed my hand in silent support. "When I met Jacob, he was nice. I trusted him. Things were great. As you know, Jacob's always had a bit of a temper. He was quick to anger, and he knew how to hold a grudge. Jacob was always a gentleman, always kept me safe, protected me.

"One day, a few months into the relationship, we got into a fight. I caught him flirting with some girl on the Rez and asked him about it. He got so angry, and the next thing I knew he hit me." I could see Charlie stop breathing and Sue squeeze his hand tightly.

"That wasn't the only time was it?" His voice was barely a whisper clogged with emotion. I shook my head. "How long?" I tilted my head to the side. "How long did this go on?"

"Until the relationship ended," I whispered scared of his reaction. I could hear his breath leave him in a rush. I couldn't look in his eyes so I trained mine on my lap. The silence stretched for long, tense minutes.

"That's not all. Is it, Bells?" I could feel the tears start falling again. I slowly shook my head. Edward tightened his hold on my hand. "Did he…did he ever…force…you to do anything?" My tears fell harder as I nodded once. I heard him curse under his breath. "When?"

"Three years ago. The night we went to the bonfire at First Beach, and Jacob carried me in. He said I tripped and hurt my knee. When Jasper and Alice took me to the hospital, it turned out to be a torn ACL. I didn't trip. Jacob pushed me down when I made him mad. Then he…" I couldn't say it, not to him.

Charlie stood up abruptly, and sat Sue back in the chair. He walked up to his room, away from me. My shoulders slumped, and a sob broke through. All the feelings of disgust and hurt I battled when I told my friends were back. Only these feelings were ten times worse. This was Charlie, my dad. I needed him more than ever right now, and he just walked away. I felt Edward pull me into onto his lap and rock me. I started to calm down and heard Charlie's steps on the stairs. I looked up to see him clip his utility belt on and grab his gun.

"Charlie, what are you doing?" Sue asked as she stood up and walked to him.

"I'm going to La Push," he answered gruffly.

"NO!" Sue and I yelled at the same time. "Dad, don't do anything stupid." Even though my worried had spiked, I realized he wasn't disgusted with me. He just wanted to make Jacob answer for what he had done.

"I'm not going to shoot him. I'm just going to arrest him." I jumped off the couch and walked briskly to his side. I grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Dad, please don't do that. I don't want to deal with him in any way. What's done is done. Please, don't do this. For me." He was still facing away from me. "I know you want to go find him, and I know you want to do more than arrest him. I understand, truly, I do, but I don't have the strength to deal with him."

"He hurt you." I could hear hurt in his own voice. "He can't get away with what he did. He should be punished." He turned around and pulled me into his arms roughly. "You didn't deserve any of that. He had not right to do that, Bella; no right."

"I know, dad."

"So, everyone knew already? They didn't act surprised." I stepped back and pulled him to sit back down. Sue sat on the arm of his chair and rubbed his back, trying to sooth him.

"They knew."

"Why did you tell them and not me?"

"Well, Jasper has known for a while. Jasper and I were working on talking about it for a while. Then I finally got the courage up to tell the others." Charlie looked confused.

"What do you mean you and Jasper were working on it?" Edward reached for my hand again to give support.

"Do you remember what Jasper's job is?" He shook his head. "Jasper's a therapist. He's my therapist. He's been working with me since the week after I got the burn." He leaned back against the chair with a contemplative look on his face. He looked up at me with question in his eye.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" His voice was so small and pleading. "I would have done something. I would have protected you." I felt the tears start again. Edward pulled me into his side while rubbing my arm.

"I didn't want you to blame Billy. You two have been friends for so long, and I was worried that it would hurt your friendship. Jacob did this, not Billy. I didn't want him to be blamed by association."

"Bella, you are my daughter. You mean more to me than anything else in the world. You should have told me." My heart broke as I watched a tear slide down his cheek.

"I'm so sorry," I choked out.

"No. Don't be sorry. You did nothing wrong. Just know that I'm here for you. Always." I smiled weakly and nodded. "Is there anything else I should know about?" I blanched as I thought about Phoenix. "There is. What is it?"

"You've just found out a lot. We can do this another time when you're not overloaded."

"No. Let's get it all out there. No more surprises." He pulled Sue back into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "It's Phoenix, isn't it?" I looked at him surprised. "When you came to live here you were…different. Even after you stopped coming to Forks and we went to California, you were happy. You were always happy being alone, but it wasn't forced. You chose it.

"When you moved here you were withdrawn, skittish. It was different. I wondered if something had happened in Phoenix. It was such a drastic change. Was it…Phil?" His voice was hard.

"No!" I rushed to stop that line of thought. "It wasn't Phil. He was only ever great to me. It was…some of his teammates."

"What? How? What did they do?"

"They said they were toughening me up. I was weak and fragile. They made me stronger, tougher."

"You were never weak."

"I know that now. I'm just telling you what they said. It went on for about eight months."

"Then you moved here to get away." I hung my head and nodded feeling ashamed that I hadn't come without ulterior motives. "Don't be ashamed. I'm glad you had this as an option." I looked over and saw Sue crying silently. Charlie was rubbing her back and kissing her head. "What did they do, Bella? How did they…'toughen you up?'"

I stood up and paced between the front door and living room. I didn't want to tell him. He already had to hear about Jacob; anymore would be excess. If I told him, he'd want to see. I know he wouldn't think I was lying. He would just want to see how bad it was before deciding how to proceed. The room stayed quiet as I had my internal debate.

Alice and Jasper were the only two that had seen the scars. I was scared to show Edward. I was scared he would finally see how tangible this was and run. We hadn't been dating long and with my past, our physical relationship moved at a snail's pace. Once he saw the damage, why would he want to stick around? He was beautiful and deserved someone perfect, flawless. That wasn't me, and he'd find out soon. Why put off the inevitable?

I stopped in front of everyone and faced them. They looked on with apprehension. Jasper looked curious. He didn't know what I was going to do. Alice smiled at me and nodded. She knew what I was debating. Sue was still silently crying, and Charlie was fidgeting in his seat. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and paused. Just do it. I lifted it slowly and stopped just above the cuts. Charlie gasped, Sue let out a sob, and Edward paled. I dropped the shirt and turned around. I lifted the shirt to reveal the tally marks. Charlie cursed, and Sue continued to cry. My stomach lurched at the sound.

I dropped the shirt and sprinted to the kitchen. I pulled out the trashcan from under the cabinet and vomited. I felt my knees give out, but before I hit the ground, two arms wrapped around my waist. Edward pushed the hair from my face as he lowered me to the ground. I retched one more time before resting back against his chest. Charlie appeared in front of me with a wet washcloth. He wiped my face then helped Edward pull me to my feet and walk me to the living room. I sat down on the couch between Edward and Charlie.

"Does Renee or Phil know anything about this?" Charlie asked. I shook my head. "What can I do?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Do you know their names? I can call the Phoenix PD and-"

"No, dad. Please don't do that. I'm just now starting to work through everything. I'm not ready to deal with any of this in the real world. I just started talking about this, working through it. I can't confront them yet."

"They don't deserve to walk around scot free. They deserve to be punished. I can help make that happen."

"I know." I covered his hand with mine, "and one day, if I decide that I want to do something legally, you'll be the first person to know."

"Do you promise?" I squeezed his hand.

"I promise." He nodded. I felt Jasper pat my shoulder.

"You did great, honey," he said with a smile. "How are you feeling physically?"

"Nauseous and exhausted," I said with a weary smile.

"I think you should take some medicine then lay down for a nap. You've had a rough day so far. Get some rest before dinner at the Cullen's." I nodded.

Everyone stood up along with me. Alice, Jasper, and Edward walked to the front door as I followed. I gave Alice and Jasper a hug then they walked to the Volvo. Edward stayed back to ask if I was okay and if I needed anything. I assured him I was okay and would call if there was anything I needed. He leaned forward to rest his forehead on mine. We stayed like that for a moment, the silence a comfort more than awkward.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you Bella," he said softly. "However, this doesn't change a thing between us. I wouldn't have you any other way. I'm here and want you, baggage and all." I smiled, the reassurance meaning more to me that he would know. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his lightly until the sound of a clearing throat distracted us. We pulled back to see a perturbed looking Charlie.

"If you hurt her, I'll hurt you ten times worse," Charlie said to Edward.

"Dad!" I exclaimed in exasperation.

"It's okay, Bella," Edward said then looked back at Charlie. "If I hurt her, I'll let you." Charlie seemed pleased with his answer and nodded. "I'll see all three of you this afternoon. Mom said dinner would be served at 5:00."

"We'll be there. Enjoy your time with your family." He kissed my cheek, said goodbye to Charlie and Sue, then left for the Volvo. It was surprisingly a clear day. The drizzle had stopped earlier, and the clouds had parted. It was gorgeous.

I walked towards the stairs to find my medicine and lie down. Charlie had Sue pulled into a hug. She was still lightly crying. I walked over and asked Charlie with my eyes what was going on. He just shook his head slightly. Sue looked up when things got quiet and sighed when she saw me standing there. She pulled away from Charlie and pulled me into a hug. It was warm, soft, and just so motherly. I let her hold me and rock me back and forth. She finally pulled back to look me in the eye.

"I couldn't be sorrier for what happened to you, Bella," she said softly. "You never should have had to endure that, any of it. I hurt for you, I do, but what you said makes me feel horrible.

"Leah and Jacob started dating last year. They were together for about three months. When they broke up, I questioned her about it. He hit her too." I blanched, and Charlie rubbed his face again.

"I'm so sorry, Sue," I said as my heart felt heavy. "If I had said something earlier, if I had-"

"Don't do that. I didn't tell you this to make you feel guilty. I just want you to know that you're not the only one. I hope if you need anything you'll feel comfortable coming to me, and I'm sure Leah would be there for you too."

"I appreciate it. I really do." I hugged her again. "I'm going to find my medicine then lie down. Let's leave here at 4:30. Does that work for you two?" They both nodded. I smiled before retreating upstairs. I set the alarm on my phone and sat it by my bed. I took my nausea medicine before laying down where I feel asleep almost immediately.

My phone alarm went off at 4:00 ending a great nap. I slept hard and felt so much better now. I rolled out of bed and went to bathroom to wash my face hoping the water would wake me up fully. I changed into something less wrinkled and went downstairs to see if Charlie and Sue were ready. I took the stairs slowly so I wouldn't trip. I still felt a little tired and didn't want to fall and have to take another trip to the ER. I got near the end of the steps and could hear them talking in the kitchen. I stopped and debated whether to go upstairs or walk in. I didn't want to interrupt.

"I don't know what to do," Charlie said in a strained voice. "She's my baby girl. Those things aren't supposed to happen to her." I sat down on the last step to listen.

"Honey," Sue said soothingly. "It's not your fault."

"Yes it is. I'm a cop and her father. I should have known. I should have seen the signs. It's my job to protect her. She should be able to trust me."

"She does trust you. You gave her a safe and loving home. Just because she didn't tell you doesn't mean she didn't trust you. People in abusive relationships often feel trapped and are scared to tell someone else. She probably felt embarrassed and ashamed that it was happening, worried about what would happen if she did tell, and scared of disappointing you.

"Like you said, you're a cop. She probably beat herself up thinking she let herself get into the situation. Plus, you heard her say she didn't want your friendship with Billy to be compromised." Sue hit everything on the head. In those few sentences, she summed up my reasons for never telling Charlie. I could feel the tears gather at the corner of my eyes.

"She shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed. She didn't do anything wrong. This is not her fault. It's that dog's, and she could never disappointment me. I'm proud of her and everything she's done. She's a beautiful, intelligent, and caring young woman. I couldn't be prouder of her if I tried. I love her, Sue.

"I just want what's best for her. I want to ensure she gets all that she deserves, be a good father, but I failed her." The tears fell when I heard that. How can he think he failed me? He's been nothing but great to me. I heard them walking back towards the living room. "Bells?" I looked up to see him looking at me with worry.

"Daddy," was all I managed to choke out. He pulled me up and crushed me to his chest. I let the tears fall and probably soaked his shirt in the process. He just stood there and rubbed my back. "You didn't fail. You did everything a parent could. I just-"

"I should have seen this, Bells. I'm trained to see this. I'm also your father, and as such I should have been more in tune with you."

"I did everything in my power to hide it. You can't blame yourself. Please. It's all in the past. The only thing to do now is move forward. I'm working on it. Jasper's helped me come a long way so far. Edward's been great, and being with him is showing me not all men are out there to hurt me. I'm getting better. I really am.

"You've been a great father. I couldn't ask for anyone better, and I wouldn't want anyone else. So please, don't blame yourself. That will only make me feel even guiltier." It was quiet for a few moments.

"I love you, Bella." Those four words made me feel lighter than I had in years.

"I love you too," I whispered. He finally pulled back to look in my eyes.

"I'm here for you. I'll help in any way I can." I smiled.

"I appreciate it." We let go and looked around. Sue was sitting on the front porch. "Let's get a drink of water, then leave for the Cullen house. He nodded, and we walked to the kitchen. I drank my glass faster than he drank, and wanted to break the tension so I asked the question that had been on my mind since our phone call when he asked me about Edward. "So, am I going to be getting a stepmom anytime soon?" He choked on his water, which sent him into a coughing fit. "Are you okay?" I asked between giggles.

"You can't just ask a man something like that out of the blue."

"So, am I?" His cheeks tinged pink making me realize where I got the blushing from.

"Well, we've only been together for eight months. That's not a very long time."

"You and mom were married after three months."

"And we see how that turned out. I'm taking my time, but Sue's special. I hope she'll be around for a very long time." And with that, I knew he would propose. He didn't take this subject lightly. I tried to hide my smile. I couldn't have been happier for him. I patted his back and walked out to the front porch with Sue.

Dinner at the Cullen's was wonderful. The food was great, and Esme even let me help cook. The kitchen was a perfect set up and the appliances were top of the line. If and when I ever got to design my own house, Esme would be one of the first calls I made. Sue and dad talked freely with Carlisle and Esme. Rosalie was introduced to my dad, and surprisingly they were getting along too. When everyone seemed to be done with dinner, Rosalie had announced she had a surprise.

"Ed and Em have been looking for something for you," she said to Carlisle. I watched Edward as he cringed at the nickname she had for him. "It took me a while, but I finally found it." Emmett took the box from the side table and placed it in his lap.

"What is this?" Carlisle asked skeptically.

"Just open it, dad," Emmett said impatiently. Carlisle slowly opening the box and peered inside.

"Boys," he said, his voice in awe. "I can't thank you enough. Rosalie, thank you for this."

"What is it dear?" Esme asked.

"It's a transmission." He looked over at Charlie and Sue to fill them in. "I'm restoring a 1968 Mustang and have been searching for a transmission. They're very hard to find. I only mentioned it in passing during lunch months ago. I can't believe you two remembered."

After that, all the guys and Rosalie went to the garage built on the side of the property to take a look at the car. Alice, Sue, and I helped Esme clear the table and wash dishes. Esme offered to give Sue a tour. She told Alice and me to follow if we wanted to hear more about the house. She would be giving a detailed tour. We quickly dried our hands and followed her and Sue into the Great Room. I eyed the piano in the back of the room. Esme must have caught me staring.

"Do you play?" she asked.

"Oh, no," I said with a shake of my head. "I don't have the patience to learn. I do love listening though. Are you the one that plays?" She looked at me with a confused look.

"No. Edward's the musician in the family." My face was blank. "He didn't tell you, did he?" I shook my head again. "He doesn't tell a lot of people. His mother taught him. He hasn't played in a long time." With that nugget of information, I realized how much I still didn't know about Edward. "You should ask him to play for you some time. He's a great pianist." I nodded with a tight smile.

Esme took us throughout the house, telling stories of each room about how she and Carlisle had come to an agreement and times when they were building. Both had been highly involved from the first to last step. Carlisle, Emmett, and Edward even helped during the building process. I would have lingered longer on the mental image of Edward shirtless swinging a hammer, but I couldn't stop thinking about his parents. He never talked about them. It wasn't a taboo subject; it just never came up in conversation. I wanted to ask him, to know more about them. They made him who he was, and I'm sure they were wonderful people. Hopefully he would be open and receptive to questions.

I focused back on Esme and her stories. The house was very beautiful. I loved how each room was unique but still felt a part of the house's overall design. My favorite feature were the four private balconies that were on the back of the house. Maybe Edward would take me home tonight after we watched the sunset. I followed them back down to the first floor. The men and Rosalie had returned from the garage. We found them on the back porch, all but Edward finishing off a beer. Esme offered to make us drinks. Sue declined saying she needed to leave soon, because she had to work early in the morning. Charlie stood and walked to her side.

"Bells, are you ready to go?" he asked.

"I wanted to stick around for a while longer," I said and looked over to Edward.

"I can bring her home Chief," Edward said. Dad looked at him for a moment. Sue placed a hand on his forearm.

"Okay. I'll see you later, Bells." He hugged me and kissed my forehead. Sue hugged me also.

Carlisle and Esme escorted them to the door. Once they were gone, Edward pulled me to sit in his lap. I snuggled into his embrace and sighed contentedly. It was so nice to just be with Edward and our friends. The only things missing were Angela and Ben, but I understood needing to work on wedding plans. Her mother wouldn't monopolize every weekend. Emmett offered to grab drinks for everyone. Edward and I declined. He went into the house to retrieve the beers. As the sun began to set I turned to Edward.

"Can we watch the sunset from your balcony?" I asked quietly. He smiled and nodded. I stood and he joined me.

"We're having lunch here tomorrow, Bella," Alice said. "Carlisle and Esme are going to visit some friends so we'll all eat here alone at 11:30."

"Okay. Goodnight guys." Everyone chorused out a goodnight. We walked inside as Emmett was leaving the kitchen.

"Are you leaving already, Bellaboo?" Emmett asked.

"No. We're going to watch the sunset from the balcony. It's not often you get to see one in Washington."

"Ain't that the truth?" I heard Jasper yell from outside. We all laughed.

"Well, in case I don't see you before you leave tonight," he said as he leaned forward and kissed my temple. "Keep him in line, and I'll see you tomorrow for lunch." I giggled.

"Goodnight Emmett." He smiled his tooth-bearing grin and exited to the patio.

"Come on," Edward said. "We don't want to miss it."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the stairs. I tripped once before he pulled me to his side while laughing to steady me. We walked into his room where his bag lay open at the foot of his bed. Most of the clothes were packed, but there was a shirt and pair of boxers lying on the chest next to his bag. He saw my line of vision and followed it. I could feel my cheeks heat up when he caught me.

"Sorry," he muttered as he walked over to the clothes. He stuffed them into the bottom of the bag before clearing his throat and turning back to me.

I took his extended hand and we walked onto the balcony. He sat in a chair and pulled me into his lap. It seemed to be a favorite position of his. I snuggled against him again enjoying the warmth of his embrace. We stayed silent, all the words needing said being spoken by the serene stillness of the night. I rested my head against his chest and looked out at the sun. It was absolutely beautiful. The sun had fallen just below the tree line. The sky was layered with pinks, yellows, blues, and purples. They lay on the sky as if a painter had brushed the colors onto a blank canvas.

I remembered that episode of Bones when Angela told Brennan, "Have you ever noticed how much more beautiful a sunset is when you watch it with someone you care about?" Sitting here, on Edward's lap, his arms wrapped around me, and his chin resting on the top of my head, I knew exactly what she meant. It had never looked this enchanting before. This moment was perfect. I turned to Edward and pressed my lips lightly against his.

He kissed me back softly. I sighed. This man was more than I could have ever asked for. He pressed against my lips harder, the kiss soon becoming heated. I loved the feel of his tongue on mine, his taste even more delicious than I could have imagined. He turned me so I was straddling him, giving him better access to my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck my fingers finding purchase in his hair. I lightly scratched his scalp in the way that always seemed to spur him on. He responded in kind, the kiss becoming more aggressive, but in an absolutely pleasurable way.

His arms that were around my body untangled. His hands gripped my waist before rubbing up and down my arms. He moved them to run down my back. The feel of his strong, insistent hands sent a shiver through my body. The beat of my heart increased as did the need to breathe. I pulled back to take a gulp of much needed air. With the absence of my mouth, he attached his lips to my neck laying open mouth kisses wherever he could. His lips traveled to the juncture of my collarbone and neck where he lightly sucked causing a bolt of lightning I'd never felt before shoot through my body and settle in the pit of my stomach.

I heard myself let out a deep, long moan. Edward looked up at the sound with a half enthralled, half self-satisfied crooked grin. His eyes were heavy lidded, a deeper green than normal with desire ever present in them. There was something else I couldn't identify, but before I could question it he wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, one in my hair, and pulled my mouth back to his. He didn't tease my lips to ask for permission this time. He dove headfirst into the kiss with wild abandon. I couldn't do anything but kiss him back, and I did, with fervor.

His hands began to move. They traveled slowly down my sides. The edges of his hands brushed the sides of my breasts causing me to moan again and a dull ache begin in the juncture of my thighs. Finally, after the torturously long journey, his hands settled on my hips and pulled me flush against his body. I could feel every inch of him against me. He was most definitely aroused. I whimpered at the feel of his rock hard erection underneath me. He moved back to worshiping my neck, our breaths even more labored than before.

"Bella," he whispered almost reverently. "Oh, Bella." My name came out in a very guttural moan. The sound was heaven. I shifted to try to relieve the ache. As I did so, I could feel a slickness between my legs that I'd never felt before. He made me wet. His lips traveled lower to where shirt met skin. He kissed just above my breast as his hands crept up slowly until I felt his fingers against my flesh. He ran small circles with his fingers over my side. Then his hands moved to my lower back and pressed me even closer to him. He started moving his hands up, and that's when things came crashing down.

Phoenix.

Hurt.

Scars.

23.

Pain.

Pain.

Jacob.

Bonfire.

Hurts.

Hurts.

Damaged.

I could see him, feel him, and smell him. He was going to do it again. I didn't want to. I didn't want this. I would beg, but it never did any good. I'd get a new tally mark. He'd be harsher if I fought. I could feel myself losing control. No! I wouldn't let him win. I'd fight. So, I did. I swung my arms as hard as I could.

I felt my fist connect with flesh but kept my eyes closed. I could only pray I had done some damaged. I swung again, but he stopped me. I felt him wrap his arms around my body in restraint. My arms became immobile by my side. I started to cry. I didn't want this. I don't want this. I felt my body shake as my breath sped up.

"Bella," I heard him say, but something was different. "Bella, look at me." He wouldn't call me Bella. It was always Izzy or Izzy Bear. "Open your eyes." This voice was velvety smooth and calm. It didn't demand or order. It pleaded. "Baby, please open your eyes." Baby. Only one person called me that. I heard a bang in the background and hurried voices. "Bella, it's Edward. It's me, baby. Open your eyes. Look at me. Please." I slowly opened my eyes. Two shimmering green eyes were staring back at me, not blue. His eyes were filled with fear and concern. He looked hesitant and questioning.

"Edward?" I asked. He closed his eyes and let out a breath in a whoosh. He opened his eyes and looked at me tenderly.

"Yes, baby. I'm right here. It's me. It's just me." It had been him all along, and I hit him. Would I ever be able to leave all that behind? Would I always see him and feel him? Would I ever be normal?

"Edward?" I asked again, my voice clogged with the tears that started to spill. He pulled me to his chest heavily. I startled when I saw Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice standing on the balcony. "What are you doing up here?"

"You were screaming," Emmett said. He walked forward and placed a tentative hand on my head. "Are you okay?" I nodded which was hard to do with Edward's face buried in my neck.

"Honey," Jasper said. He walked forward and squatted down to be eye level with me. "Are you back with us?" I nodded. "Do you know what triggered this?" I nodded again. I could feel Edward slightly shaking underneath me. "Okay. We'll be downstairs. Call us if you need us, or we'll see you tomorrow. Okay?" I nodded again. They each gave me a kiss on the forehead before leaving.

"Edward," I said. "I'm so sorry."

"No," he said sternly and abruptly. He pulled me back to look in his eyes. "There is no need for you to apologize. I'm the one that's sorry. I shouldn't have done that. You felt so good, and I wanted you so bad. I should have been more considerate. I shouldn't have been rough. I told you we'd go at your speed, and I completely disregarded that. I'm so-"

"Edward. Stop." He looked up at me with the most heartbreakingly apologetic look in his eyes. My heart melted even more. "You weren't rough, and I was most definitely enjoying the speed. I'm not objecting to any of that. I loved the way you were making me feel. I've never…" I paused, embarrassed about what I was about to admit. "You made me…" I took a deep breath and willed myself to just say it. "I've never been turned on before. No one's ever made me…" I could feel my whole face heat up from my ears down my neck. I buried my face in his neck and breathed in his comforting scent.

"What is it baby?" he asked soothingly while rubbing circles on my back.

"No one's ever made me…wet." I felt his hand still. I worried what I said had upset him. Then he groaned.

"Oh God, Bella. You can't just say something like that." He stood up and held me at arm's length. "I need a minute for my body to calm down, or I won't be able to keep myself from ravaging you right here." I felt my face flame again from his comment. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What happened then?" he finally asked.

"You almost touched my scars." He looked at me curiously then comprehension dawned on his face. "You were moving your hands up my back. I didn't want you to touch them, to feel how marred I am." He stepped closer to me and gathered me into his arms.

"I've already seen the scars. They're not going to scare me off. I lo-loath the man that did this to you. You are intelligent, witty, and beautiful, Bella. Nothing can change that, not even those scars. Do you understand that?" I nodded, not really convinced. He pulled back and grasped my cheeks in his hands. "Really, Bella. I wouldn't have you any other way. Like I said before, I'll spend the rest of forever making you believe that." My heart fluttered at his words. "I love…that you're a strong, resilient woman and that you're giving me a chance. Promise me you'll try to believe me. I just want to make you happy."

"You do."

AN: Wow! I was totally blown away by the reviews for last chapter. There were 26!!!!!! I squealed. Thank you. Really, reviews mean a lot to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

How did you like the chapter? I made my beta/best friend cry with this chapter. She said it was intense. I hope this helps you like Charlie more. He really is a good father and only wants Bella to be better and happy.

Bella and Edward are getting closer. Hopefully things continue to progress.

Two last things. One, I wrote a one-shot for the Love for the Unloved contest. It's called Sweet and Spicy and features Angela and Ben. It is my first attempt at smut. So if you are eighteen or older, please read it and let me know what you think. I'm nervous about it. Second, I started a blog for this story that contains the visuals and audios. I forgot to mention this last chapter which makes me sad because I have the pictures up of the Cullen house. I searched for hours for the perfect rooms. Please take a look.

Recap:

Grateful for the reviews

How did you like the chapter?

Charlie's awesome

Sweet and Spicy one-shot up

Blog for visuals and audios-www(dot)aspire2write(dot)blogspot(dot)com