Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Give Me A Little Trust

Chapter Two: Compassion

Edward's POV

The following morning I awoke alone in my bed. I got up and quickly glanced in Lauren's closet. Her clothes were still there so she hadn't left me yet. Going downstairs she was sitting in the kitchen drinking tea and watching the morning news.

"Morning." She said softly as I entered.

"Good morning. Can we talk?" I asked whilst getting myself some coffee.

"I think that would be best."

"Where do we stand? What's going on with us because I don't want to throw away a five year relationship over one bad night?" I said sitting across from her.

"Neither do I, Edward. I love you, it's just I have always wanted a baby." She said looking down into her lap.

"So do I. How do you think I feel knowing that this is my fault, that I'm useless?" She reached across the counter and held my hand.

"You're not useless Edward. I was angry and shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry." Although I was still annoyed at what had happened I nodded.

"We can get through this. The doctor gave us other options." She shook her head.

"I don't want to have to use a sperm donor or adopt. I'm sorry but this isn't what I want anymore." She stood up, completely confusing me.

"What do you mean? I thought you just said that you didn't want to throw our marriage away."

"I don't but there's nothing we can do. I want a baby and you can't give me one. How do you propose we go from here?"

"I don't know…marriage counselling?" She shrugged.

"Set it up and we'll try it." With that Lauren left the room and I needed some time to get away from here and this house.

I grabbed a pair of jeans from the laundry room and a fresh t-shirt before slipping on some shoes, snagging my keys from the hall and taking my phone. Flicking through my contact list I phoned Alice for someone to talk to.

"Hey Eddie, what can I do for you?" She chimed down the phone.

"I was just wondering what you were up to."

"I'm having coffee at Bella's and eating all her chocolates with Rose. You should come over!"

"I don't know…that would be intruding."

"No it wouldn't…hold on. Bella can Edward come over?" I never heard her response but then Alice was back. "She lives at 26 Westbrook Road North, will you find it?"

"Yeah, I'll be there shortly." With that she hung up and I made my way to my car. I wasn't sure why I was heading over to Bella's but I was maybe just for some good company, whatever.

On arrival at Bella's Alice came rushing out and pulled me into the house claiming that I had to try these amazing chocolates and that they were heaven sent. Entering the kitchen Bella was standing by the fridge laughing with the guy from last night called Jasper and Rose was eating a few of the chocolates laid out on the baking trays.

"Hey, come on in." Bella said. "Help yourself to the chocolates, I'm just letting Alice and Rose try out the ones they like."

"Yeah we are going to find the best ones then order batches from Bella and give them away to clientele with her business card, hopefully promoting her business." Alice beamed, pleased with herself.

I sat down and watched as the four of them laughed and chatted together. Bella's house was full of such warmth compared to my home which was cold and empty. Lauren would never have people over like this, we would need to have planned ahead in advance so she could make sure everything was sparkling and nothing was out of place.

"You okay?" Bella asked, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced around the kitchen and noticed Rose was on the phone in the other room and Alice was helping Jasper make up some batch of something.

"Yeah… I think." She patted my arm and pulled me into the other room.

"Want to talk about it?" I smiled softly and nodded replaying how things went this morning.

"So you're going to try marriage counselling?"

"Yeah. If it will help then I'll try it. I do not want to give up on my marriage this soon."

"That makes sense. How long have you two been together?"

"Five years." Though thinking back it seemed much shorter.

"Do you think she's ready to give up on you?"

"I want to say no but that's just wishful thinking. We've hit a fork in the road and she's going one way and I'm going the other."

"Don't worry Edward, things will all work out eventually. On a happier note I think your sister is smitten with Jasper." I chuckled and nodded, looking back into the kitchen with those two smiling adorningly at each other.

"Is he single?"

"Yep. I take it she is too?"

"Oh yeah, Alice likes to be very careful when it comes to dating. She's quite picky with her men."

"But do you think she likes Jazz?"

"Oh yeah. I got that impression last night. I was sure she was flirting with him but doing it in such a way that he was oblivious to it." She chuckled and nodded.

"I don't think I've seen him that flustered before."

"Bella I smell chocolates. Where are they?!" The big burly guy I saw yesterday said, bursting into the room.

"Hi Emmett. This is Edward, Edward this is Emmett." He shook my hand and smiled. "The chocolates are in the kitchen.

"Thanks babe." He scampered off and we heard Jasper scolding him for eating so many at one time.

"Sorry about him. His priorities are friends, food, and fooling around." She shook her head at his antics.

"It's alright. He seems like a decent guy." I said, watching as Rose and Emmett started talking about something.

"Oh he is, very sweet but you wouldn't think that from his size. I hate to say it but I think he's going to hit on your friend." She said embarrassed.

"That's alright; Rose can certainly take care of herself. No man in their right mind would take on an angry Rose." She frowned. "Just watch."

We both looked on as Emmett whispered something in her ear before being kneed in the crotch. He doubled over and laughed as Rose looked on smugly at her handiwork.

"Talk to me like that again and I'll castrate you." She spat at him before taking a seat and sipping her water.

"Wow, you're one hell of a girl." Emmett said, chuckling as he caught his breath back. "Bella where did you find her, she's great?"

Rose smiled slightly and helped Emmett up, feeling happy with his compliments then they both started talking about god only knows what.

"Okay I see what you mean. But how did you know she was going to do that?" Bella asked.

"I know Rose too well and the look Emmett shot her when he entered the kitchen just gave the game away. Loads of guys try their luck and over the years she's had to learn how to defend herself."

"She ever done that to you?" I chuckled and nodded, remembering back a few years.

"Yeah I grabbed her hand to stop her walking in front of a car and in return she thought I was some pervert trying to grab her so punched me in the stomach and pushed me to the ground before standing on my chest swearing that if I ever touched her again she's kick my ass. Then she noticed it was me and helped me up." Bella laughed and ruffled my hair.

"Poor you, beaten up by a girl." I shook my head and ignored her.

"I hope my sister hasn't been too intrusive today."

"Not at all. She's great and incredibly cheerful all the time." That was definitely true.

"Bella do you want to come to the work event we're hosting on Saturday?" Alice asked popping her head around the door.

"Eh…yeah okay."

"Great! Jasper you'll come too right?" We never heard his reply but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't say no.

"So what is this thing on Saturday?" Bella asked.

"It's a shareholder's party, exceedingly dull and boring but we have to go, Alice more than anyone since she runs the company. Basically it's a night of free food and alcohol for any guest there."

"Oh right. Will you be there?" I nodded.

"I have to go, got to keep the Cullen Empire status up and running. If I didn't show they would think there was a problem and our stock would plummet."

"Are you going to take your wife?"

"I have to. If I didn't do that then they would know something was up. I have to keep on the perfect mask, can't let anyone know I have faults." I murmured. Bella rubbed my arm and went to get me some chocolates to make me feel better. It did the trick but I still had to deal with my problems sooner or later.

This was a good escape, getting away from my troubles by forgetting about the issues at home. Although I now that they aren't going to go away by themselves but I don't know what else to do. My entire marriage lies in Lauren's hands. If she decides to end this then so be it, I have no choice. I have a funny feeling that she no longer loves me, just the security I can provide for her until she finds a better husband, one who can give her what I can't.

My life looks rather bleak from here on out. I've gained a few friends I think but I've lost my wife in the process. Five years down the drain in just 24 hours. The problem is even though things are falling apart I still love Lauren and that just seems wrong now. Clearly she doesn't love me but I can't instantly fall out of love with her again.

She is my wife, the woman I promised to love until the day I die. But then again she did promise me to love me through sick and health and I think me being infertile falls under that and clearly she's given up on me.

Maybe I've been looking about this the wrong way. Maybe love and trust doesn't exist like I thought it did. I trusted Lauren to never hurt me or leave me but she's done one and close to doing the other. Any day I'm expecting divorce papers to be lying on my desk ready to sign.

There are only four people I trust now, Alice, Rose, and my parents. But yet I can't get the courage to tell them my biggest fault as a man. The only person I'm comfortable knowing about that is Bella yet I don't know why I trust her so much. She could easily betray me but I'm under the impression that she won't, that she's better than that, she wouldn't sink that low to hurt me.

I probably will get to know Bella more as Alice is getting so close to her but I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. I have complete trust in a stranger so have given her the power to hurt me and that doesn't seem wise. But yet when I look at Bella I don't think she could hurt a fly. There's just something there that other people lack, that Lauren certainly lacks, and I'm desperate to know what it is.

A.N.

Not much happened but we're getting there…slowly.