Disclaimer: All character belong to Stephenie Meyer

Give Me A Little Trust

Chapter Ten: Vulnerability

"Sure, come on in." Bella opened the door wide and let me in. "Have a seat." I nodded and perched on the couch, watching as she walked across the floor to sit opposite me.

"What can I do for you?" She asked, giving me the opening I needed.

It was now or never, I thought before taking a deep breath.

Bella's POV

Edward sat for a few seconds before looking at me. His emerald eyes were a much deeper green than usual and made him look very remorseful with the pitiful look on his face.

When he showed up at the door I was very surprised. To be honest I didn't want to see him currently. It wasn't that I was still angry with him, just a bit scorned over it all. The lack of trust was a major issue for me and I don't understand why he keeps coming round if he thinks I will or have betrayed him.

"Before I say what I came here to say." He began, pulling at the collar of his shirt. "I just want to ask you one thing."

"Go ahead." He took a deep breath then exhaled loudly.

"Did you tell someone I was infertile, whether it was on purpose or not?" That made my blood boil.

"Edward is that seriously why you're here, to quiz me on who let your secret out." I stood up and started pacing the floor, furious with him. "We've been through this and I forgave you for assuming that I was the one that told but if you except there to be any glimmer of friendship then you have to believe me when I say I never told!"

Within seconds he was up and had my face in his hands, gently caressing my cheeks. I wasn't expecting that reaction for him so ended up just standing there frowning at him.

"Bella, my dear sweet Bella." I was still none the wiser about what was going on. "I…would you believe me if I told you I was a fool for asking again but only did because I wanted there to be no secrets between us?"

"I guess." He smiled softly then kissed my forehead.

"My divorce is being finalised and I'm ready to admit that I failed as a husband." I opened my mouth to argue but he shushed me. "Don't, it's okay. I told you that we couldn't have anything because I wouldn't cheat on my wife. Well considering in about 24 hours she should be my ex-wife I think we can change those rules, if you want to."

My heart sped up immediately when I clocked on to what he was saying. His eyes bore into my own with a look of hope and anxiety. It felt like his heart was in my hands and I was either going to treasure it or cast it away.

He must have taken my silence as a bad sign because he started babbling. "Look you can say no, I completely understand I just figured I had to ask. I like you but know that with the way I've treated you, you may not like me. That makes sense but if I never asked then I would regret it and then look back on what I could have missed. At least this way, even if you turn me down, I know how things would have turned out. There would be no regrets and-"

I didn't need to hear anymore so placed my finger over his lips.

"Edward, I like you too and I would like to change those rules." His face lit up. "But on a few conditions." And fell slightly.

"Alright." He said hesitantly.

"One, nothing changes between us until your divorce is final, as far as I'm concerned you're still married even under the circumstances. Two, you have to trust me. If you don't this will never work. And three, no secrets. If something is bothering you, tell me, I'm here for you. Don't jump the gun like you did before."

"Of course." He leant forward to kiss me but clearly remembered rule one and made a beeline for my cheek. "So once my divorce is final can I take you out on a date?" The hope was back in his voice.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Good."

Edward hung around for a while but then left, he had to make a visit to his soon to be ex-wife. I kissed him on the cheek at the door and he gave me my favourite lopsided grin before heading to his car.

I trusted him but now all I need was him to trust me.

Edward's POV

I wanted to dance across her lawn I was that happy. Granted we weren't officially a couple yet but would be very soon and that made my heart jump for joy. Her conditions on our relationship made sense but I wished she had just allowed me to give her one kiss. I had been fantasising about those lips for so long that having to wait one or two days would be like waiting a year.

My visit to see Lauren was one of business rather than pleasure. I wanted my house back. She didn't want it in the divorce so that meant she would be moving out but I hoped it was sooner rather than later.

She would be pissed I blew her off but frankly I didn't care. Throughout the end of our marriage she never cared about my feelings so why should I care about hers. It's not like we were going to be married for much longer.

I pulled up to my house and parked in the drive before getting out and heading to the door. The doorbell rang throughout the house followed by the sounds of Lauren's heels on the wooden floor in the hall. She opened the door and gave me a rather sad look, though I don't know why.

"Come on in." She turned and walked away, leaving me to shut the door. "I thought you would be round earlier."

"Lauren I didn't come here tonight for dinner. I need you to move out of the house. Earlier I spoke to my lawyer and he's going to get the divorce put through in the next few days. It's over, this time for good."

Her eyes were showing emotions of hatred, anger, sorrow, confusion and annoyance. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and took a seat in the living room, not taking her eyes off me the whole time. I was just waiting for her foul temper to rise up and blow, like a dormant volcano soon to erupt.

"Then I guess you'll want this back." Lauren took the wedding ring I gave her off her finger and placed it on the wooden coffee table in the centre of the room.

"No, you keep that. I gave it to you out of love as a gift. It's yours not mine." In all honesty I wanted rid of all the reminders we had ever been married.

"Oh, thank you." I caught her off guard; no doubt she was gearing for an argument.

"You're welcome. So when will you be able to move out?" She sighed and pursed her lips.

"When I'm ready Edward, God there isn't a rush."

"Actually there is. I want to get on with my life and with you in it I can't do that. I've asked nicely; don't make me have to ask again."She rolled her eyes and cast her hand in indifference.

"Fine, I will be out by the end of the week. Happy?" I was going to answer but didn't want to fuel the fire.

"Yes. Thank you." I nodded and looked around absently.

"I just don't get the change Edward. Today in your office you were all but ready to come to dinner and have us try again, what's different now?" She asked, the anger gone and replaced by confusion and dare I say it, vulnerability.

"I realised no matter what we did now it would be too late. You're not the one I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with and I'm not the one you're meant to be with. So why prolong this when we both know it's over." I answered, bearing most of the truth.

"There's someone else isn't there?" My head shot up to look at her. I was surprised, not only that she asked, but that she asked with a sad tone, not one of hate and anger.

"I think there is."

"Same." She said smiling sadly, looking at her lap.

"Though I think he just sees me as some of sex toy rather than anything serious. I wanted him to leave his wife for me but if you had left me for another woman I would have been broken."

This was the Lauren I had lost. This was the one I truly feel in love with. She was sweet, caring and honest. Granted she had a foul temper and got easily jealous but so did I. One thing that definitely disappeared when we got married was her vulnerability. That was completely erased, as though it never existed in the first place. God I missed it.

"I don't think I can ask him to do that now." She admitted.

I got up from the couch opposite and moved to sit next to her. I put my arm round her shoulder and let her rest her head on my chest in a hug. In no time at all the tears started and then the sobs. My heart was breaking for this woman all over again. I hated seeing her upset. Hell I hated seeing any woman upset, let alone a woman I had committed everything to.

Eventually her tears dried up and the sobs stopped. During that time we had repositioned and she was lying against me. I just held her for a while and let her calm down. Soon enough her breathing was calm and steady. I glanced down at her and saw she was asleep.

Doing what I had done so many times I picked her up, carried her upstairs and placed her in bed. She still looked as lovely as she did when I first met her but the feelings were different. Lauren was no longer the one I saw as the woman who would make me happy, instead that seemed Bella's role, she just didn't realise it yet.

I leant forward and kissed Lauren on the forehead, silently bidding her goodnight before walking downstairs. I wrote a note and left it for her before I grabbed a set of house keys off the table in the hall and left, locking the door before placing the keys under the door mat. The note told her what I had done and said goodbye.

No doubt that would be the last time we had contact between each other. I wasn't saddened by that but wished Lauren the best. Granted we had our bad moments but we also had a lot of good and I knew somewhere along the way, it might not be any time soon but, she would find someone who made her happy.

After all that I got in my car and drove home, well to the apartment that temporarily was my home. Things in my little world seemed to be adjusting for the better, or at least I thought so. With Bella I was very chuffed and how things were now with Lauren seemed to be good. From all that we've been through we have ended it on decent terms which I'm happy about.

The apartment was cold and silent, reminding me of how alone I really was at the moment. As I settled into bed though I couldn't help smile at the fact that once my divorce was final Bella would be around to warm my heart and life. Hopefully I would do the same to her too.