Disclaimer: I take no credit in the characters within this story; those are the sole work of Mrs. Stephenie Meyer. I do, however, take credit for the specific, new traits I gave them and am quite proud of them.
--EPOV
I spoke up to object, wanting to defend myself but she lifted a hand. "Edward, before you argue, I want you to think about it. How long has Bella wanted you? What did she think the day of the barbecue?"
I stopped and looked at her, surprised. "I… don't know." That I frustrated me too much for comfort and I had to swallow it. "But how am I supposed to find out?"
She smiled. "You ask her, Edward."
"I can't now, though. Not after all this."
"Why not? She's the girl you love, you have every right to tell her that and find out how she feels. Don't you think you should at least find out before you leave? Wouldn't that just be… better? You have been making her choices for her Edward. Why don't you let her help at the very least? She's a grown woman, not a little girl. She's stronger than she appears, you know. You need to remember that she has lived by herself for a while. She's had a taste of life. She is a woman."
I nodded slowly, closing my eyes again. When I opened them again, she was standing up. "Rose?" she looked back at me. "Thanks. I needed that."
She smiled and nodded, moving toward the door. "Any time Edward." When she opened the door, Emmett was standing there, quickly sweeping her into his arms. She laughed as she closed the door. Again by myself, again allowed to think, I closed my eyes and tried to focus.
--BPOV
I was sprawled across my bed, face buried in my pillows, my head pounding right behind my eyes. The nausea was getting worse, as was the irritation I felt toward life. When had everything become so… complicated? So much harder to sort and handle? I could remember high school with clarity. My only stress had been the next shopping trip Alice was planning to pull me on. But now… now I'm trying to hide in my pillows to get rid of a migraine brought on by the war going on in my body. My heart fighting my mind. To ask him to stay or to ask him to go. My heart was fighting for me to hold on to him, to latch on as long as I could. My brain was saying that I loved him enough to let him be happy, to let him find what he deserved. And the battles were raging hard and strong. One was in my stomach, making it churn with acid. One was behind my eyes, making my pupils expand and become beyond sensitive. And one was at the base of my neck, making both my spine and the entire back of my head throb.
There was a knock on my door. Even the light sound echoed through my head, making me flinch. Keeping my face in the pillows I beckoned to the intruder as loudly as I could manage, "Yes?"
"Bella, are you okay?" Alice asked, quickly making it to my bed and sitting down, placing her hand on my back.
"Migraine," I growled, keeping my head buried. "I feel it everywhere."
"I'll get you some medicine and make sure people are quiet. Do you want me to cancel dinner tonight?" I stayed quiet, considering. When she realized I was thinking about it, she told me to think about it and that she would be back soon. I flinched at the little squeak the door made as she shut it.
--APOV
Rose was waiting in the hall, biting her lip when I came out. It had been about twenty minutes since she had come out of Edwards room and nearly forty since anyone had heard from Bella. I held a finger to my lips and led her into my bedroom, closing the door behind her. "Bella gave herself a migraine again. She used to do this all the time when she had something stressful going on. Tests, meetings, dates. I didn't even think about the possibility that this still happened to her."
"Is she going to be okay?" Rose asked, looking worried.
I thought about how she used to be, how long they could last. When I met Rose's worried face though, I just nodded. "Yeah, she just need fluids and some medicine." I went to my vanity and lifted one of my lime green makeup bags, sorting through the contents and trying to find the migraine medicine I always used to keep with me. I didn't really get them anymore, but I knew that if I left it, I would need it. I found several bottles; ibuprofen, Midol, and a sleeping aid. I shook my head, walking to the bed and dumping the bag, beginning to get nervous. I only found one more bottle, and it was just cough medicine. "Oh no."
"What?"
"I don't have my migraine medicine with me," I moaned. "God, nothing else has ever done anything but take the edge off for her…"
"Oh no."
I looked up at Rose then. "I offered to let her cancel dinner. If she does, Edward will leave tonight."
Her eyes went wide for a second, then relaxed. "Maybe… But maybe not. He has a lot to think about now, and I don't think he'll leave until he figures it out."
Then it hit me; Edward always used to get headaches! Maybe he would have something for it. "Oh, I have an idea." I hurried out of the room and to Edward's door, knocking gently, allowing me to receive odd looks from both Jasper and Emmett who were stationed on the floor in front of the tv, going through the movies. I didn't say anything to either of them. "Edward?"
"Come in, Alice."
I opened the door to find him lying sideways on his bed, two lines on his forehead. Rose was right. He was thinking. "Edward, you wouldn't happen to have anything for a migraine, would you?"
He looked over at me, shaking his head. "No, why?"
"Damn it!" I said quietly, leaning back. "Bella has a migraine…"
He stood up quickly, "And you don't have your medicine?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. The two thought lines were replaced by worry lines. He remembered her migraines just as clearly as I did. I could recall a day that he had ditched school to take care of her when she had woken up with one. She had been better by the time I got home.
"Please tell me you have found something else that works." He was practically begging.
I shook my head. "No. Nothing they sell over the counter is strong enough for her."
"Have you asked her if she has anything?"
"Not yet. I just found out that I don't have my bottle with me."
"Okay, you go check with her. I'll make her some tea." You would think we were in high school again. The way he took charge, acted like she was still the Bella he knew. It was a good sign. He noticed that I didn't move toward the door. I just watched him. When he raised an eyebrow, I hurried out. I didn't knock this time, knowing that she hated having to call to let someone in. I whispered once I was at her bed side again. "Bella, have you found anything that works besides the stuff my doctor gave me? I can't find it."
"No, not yet. But that's okay. Just let me sleep for a while. I'm sure it will go away."
Yeah right. "Listen, I'm going to go to the store and see if I can find anything that might help. Do you want anything else?"
She shook her head.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "What about dinner tonight?"
"Don't cancel. You guys go even if my migraine is still here. I'll come as long I feel a little better."
"Okay. I'll be back soon. You sure there is nothing else that you want?"
"Yes. I'm sure."
--EPOV
I was standing next to the pot, tapping my foot, waiting for it to boil, when Alice came to find me in the kitchen. "She said she hasn't found anything yet, but I'm going to run to the store to see if I can find something new. I'm taking Rose with me."
"Okay," I said. "Would you like to take my car?"
She shrugged. "It's either yours or the jeep. I don't want to go find out where Bella's keys are."
I pulled my keys out of my pocket and handed them to her. "What about tonight?"
"I gave her the option to cancel, but she didn't want to. She wants everyone to go even if she can't. Hopefully, it won't come to that."
"Okay, just get out of here. Go search."
I watched her leave moments before the pot let out its first whispered whistle. I pulled it off the burner, clicking the stove off. I already had the tea bags out, along with the cinnamon and a few other herbs. I poured her mug, adding everything and stirring for a minutes before lifting the glass and going to the living room. "Jasper?"
He looked up, smiling. "What's up, Edward?"
"Can you take this in to Bella?"
Jasper was about to get up when Emmett spoke. "I think you should do it, Edward."
"The last thing she needs is more stress, Emmett. I think she would be more comfortable with Jasper doing it. Or you." I said, shaking my head.
"No," Emmett said, nodding to the hall. "You don't have to say anything. Just bring it to her."
I sighed and walked down the hall, trying to stay focused on just giving it to her, finding out if there was anything she wanted, and leaving, no matter how much I wanted to stay. I had to make this easy on her. I paused outside the door and took a deep breath before making a single light knock and walking in.
Bella was curled on her bed, over the covers, her head buried in pillows, trying to hide from the day that was pouring through her windows. She didn't move when I opened the door. It took all I had to walk in, through her door. I set the cup down on her bedside table before walking to the widow and pulling the drapes down. They weren't particularly thick, only cutting about half the light that had been shining into the room. But even that was enough for her be able to lift her head to drink. I pulled them as far as they would go to be sure that there weren't any lines of light to hurt her eyes, then turned. She had turned her head and was squinting at me.
"I brought you some tea, Bella," I whispered, walking to the side of her bed and crouching down.
She sat up a little, turning onto her back. "Thank you."
"Your welcome," I smiled as best I could. "Alice went to the store, but she's probably going to be speeding. She'll be back soon." I lifted the cup from the table and handed it to her, being sure not to let our hands touch. "Is there anything else I can get you?"
She took a sip, flinching once it touched her tongue. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. She always burned her tongue if she was drinking something hot. When her eyes came back to mine I gave her a gentle smile, trying to look as friendly as possible. She held my eyes for a second before lifting the cup back to her lips, blowing on it before taking a sip. I watched her swallow and relax back into the pillow. "Only one thing."
"What's that?"
"If you go into my bathroom, into the medicine cabinet I have a gray bottle. Can you get it for me?"
I nod and stand, hurrying into the bathroom and not turning on the light. I opened the cabinet and found it quickly. It was just stomach medicine. I walked back into the room, opening it. "How many?"
"Two," she said quietly, taking the pills as I handed them to her. I placed the bottle by her bed, wanting her to be able to get to them if she needed more. "The tea is delicious. Is it the same thing you used to make?"
I smiled and nodded, seating myself on the edge of the bed. "Yeah. It's what Esme used to give me when I had a headache, too."
She took another sip from the glass and nodded, "Yeah, I remember her always sending me upstairs with it when you had one."
Yeah. I did, too. I closed my eyes for a second then looked back at her. "How are you feeling?"
"Terrible." She looked like she meant it. Her eyes were swollen, puffy. Her normal pale skin was nearly as white as her sheets. Dark shadows were cast under her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Nausea, back pain, pounding in the back of my skull, and of course light and sound have become magnified by forty," she said quietly before lifting the glass to her lips again. I watched a shiver run over her skin when she looked at me again. She only met my eyes for a second before she looked down into her cup, "You know you don't have to leave, Edward."
I swallowed hard, fighting the lump getting ready to block my throat again. "I know."
She glanced at me for a second. "Then why are you?"
--APOV
Okay, so I'll admit that I had been speeding. I'll even admit that its not right to speed. But I did it everyday! Why was it TODAY that there had to be a cop nearby? I slammed my head into Edward's headrest. "Damn it! Of all days!"
Rose just laughed, "Don't worry Alice, it will be fine. Would you like me to call Emmett?"
I looked at her, wide eyed. "Absolutely not! He may be your boyfriend, but he's my brother. He can't kill you, he can me."
"Oh Alice. Fine, I'll call Jasper," she said as she pulled her phone from her purse. She held a button before putting it to her ear, being completely relaxed. "Hey Jasper, we're gonna be a little late getting back. Try to keep Bella comfortable."
She paused and smirked, "That's good of him."
After a second she sighed, "We got pulled over, but don't tell Emmett. It won't take too long hopefully."
"Yeah, Alice was driving…"
"Of course she's fine, Jasper. We didn't crash. She was just going a bit faster than she should have been. Okay, I'll let you know what its gonna take to make bail. Keep an eye on her, keep her comfortable, and stay quiet!" With that she clicked her phone shut and slipped it back into her purse, still smirking. She gave me an expectant look. When I didn't tell her what she wanted, she rolled her eyes, "Do you like him?"
"Who?" I asked innocently.
"Don't give me that, Alice. My brother."
"Why do you ask?" I glanced behind us, waiting for the cop to get out of his car. What the hell was taking him so long? Obviously, if I was speeding, there was something I needed to be doing.
"Because he seems to like you."
My head whipped around to look at her. "Really?"
"So you do!" she said, smiling and clapping her hands together.
I blushed just as the cop climbed out of his car, but I wasn't nervous anymore. I just hoped she was right.
--EmmettPOV
"What do you mean they are going to be out longer?" I asked, looking at Jasper as he came back inside. "What's keeping them?"
He shrugged, "They got to the store, but it just advised another that's all the way across town. They are hoping it will have what they are looking for."
"Oh." I looked up at the clock, "What's keeping Edward?"
Jasper shrugged, glancing down the hall at the closed door. "I don't know."
--BPOV
I hadn't been planning to ask right out… but I found that I had to. If he knew, as he said, that he didn't have to leave, why was he? My heart was beginning to win out in these battles, but I would send new recruits in from my head if he really wanted to leave. I knew that I would always feel guilty, selfish even, for keeping him here, but wouldn't that be better than letting him go? Besides, I felt bad for what I had said earlier, about him being so selfish, and wanted to find some way to tell him.
I could only look into his eyes for a second after the words had left my lips. They were too beautiful and intense for me to hold. I ended up lifting the cup back to my lips and taking a slow sip. It took him a minute for him to answer. "Because I want you to have the best life that you can."
"And you think I'm not going to find that unless you leave," I said quietly, glancing at him. "And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"What are you plans?" I clarified, acting cool about it, like it was nothing but a little question.
"I don't know yet," he whispered
"You don't have a plan?" I asked, surprised. Edward was the last one not to have a map for himself.
He seemed to be considering his answer, thinking hard enough to make the little line appear between his eyebrows. "I have no classes for another four weeks. Until then, I think I'll visit Carlisle and Esme. I haven't spent nearly enough time with them."
I nod and take another sip of the amazing tea, trying to hold back the tears that were beginning to well. When I swallowed, I spoke without thinking. I was remembering how perfect yesterday had been. "Can't we just go back?"
He met my eyes, an extremely sad look deep within his eyes, written on his face. I felt a pang in my heart at that look. We both knew that we couldn't.
--EPOV
She wanted to be friends again. She didn't want to remember what had happened yesterday. My heart fell in a dismay that was so absolute my brain stopped working. She regretted it…. everything. How could something be so one sided? How was it possible that I was so unconditionally in love with someone that felt nothing for me? That couldn't return my feelings? It was beyond unfair. And yet I felt no love leave me, no love disappear in my heart for my dearest Bella. I would love her forever, no matter what she felt for me. It wouldn't matter the distance. No one but Bella would ever exist for me. I looked away from her eyes for a second to compose myself. When I looked back, she had tears in her eyes. I took a deep breath and reached out to take her hand. "Bella, we will always be friends. But we have to admit that we need some time first."
She nodded, trying to fake a smile, but a tear slid down her cheek. I had to fight not to reach for it and wipe it away.