Nothing like some Saturday morning drama and angst, right? Enjoy! See you tomorrow morning!

Location: Forks, Washington

Prompt: Bedroom

Though he knew this was the last place he should be, Edward couldn't help himself. After his enlightening conversation with Maggie at school, Edward needed to talk to Bella. He couldn't fight off this feeling that she needed him, but was too stubborn to do anything about it.

So, with a little research, Edward found himself outside the Chief Swan's house, looking up at a brightly lit open window he could only pray belonged to Bella. He tentatively scaled the tree that was directly outside her open window and breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw her sitting on her bed, reading a book. Edward didn't even bother to knock or alert her to his presence before he climbed into her room as quietly as possible.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, Edward," Bella shouted out in surprise as she closed her book and threw it at him in shock. "What on earth do you think you are doing?"

"Breaking and entering?"

"No shit, Sherlock." Bella was frustrated that Edward had taken it upon himself to break into her bedroom. She had begun to get over him, but seeing him in front of her, looking just as broken as she felt, made her feelings return in spades. However, she wouldn't be swayed into a relationship. She was getting the fuck out of Forks as soon as she could. "Listen, I think it's really sweet you scaled the tree outside my room to try and... I dunno what... it's all very Romeo and Juliet of you, but you can go."

"I heard about your mom." Edward didn't know how the hell he was supposed to get Bella to open up to him, but he was going to do whatever he could. The more he had thought about Bella's attitude during their last day together, the more it all began to make sense. She was shutting herself down from a relationship with him because she was about to prepare with the imminent death of her mother. If Edward had been in her shoes, he would have wanted someone he cared about to be there for him.

"So... you're here to what? Give me a shoulder to cry on? Give me your pity because my mother is dying? Or were you just looking for more sex?" Bella snapped angrily at Edward.

"Stop it. I came here because I thought you might want to talk to someone about it."

"Let me guess, you are a psychiatrist now?"

"No Bella, but I am someone who cares." Edward was trying to engage Bella into talking with him about what was going on in her head, but she only seemed to want to project her anger and frustration on him. If that was what she needed, a verbal punching bag, Edward decided he could be that for her too.

"What a pile of crap! You want me to sit here and tell you how I feel like the world's biggest piece of shit because I don't want to forgive my mom for being the most selfish person I have ever met, even though she is dying in a hospice bearing the name of your family."

"Do you need to yell at me because of that? What my father does with his money has nothing to do with me, but don't you think you should feel somewhat buoyed by the fact that your mother is being well cared for in her final days?" Bella sat down on her bed and buried her face in her hands as she began to cry ugly, fat tears.

"I should be happy about that," Bella admitted through her tears. "But she left me when I was fifteen years old so because I didn't live up to her expectations. I couldn't be the prima ballerina that she wanted me to be because she pushed me so fucking hard I got hurt. So, to be brutally honest, I can't help but feel like this is karma. Renee Swan vanished, barely sending me birthday cards each year and now she is dying of pancreatic cancer. I don't think she deserves my forgiveness for how she belittled, ignored and left me, but everyone around me disagrees."

Edward tentatively moved towards Bella and sat down beside her. When she felt the bed compress, Bella couldn't stop herself from resting her head on his shoulder and accepting whatever comfort Edward could give her. With baited breath, Edward wrapped his arm around her and Bella eased herself into his side with a sigh. It was a small victory, but to Edward it was a victory nonetheless.

"My dad says I will regret it if I don't make amends with my mother before she dies."

"And what do you think?"

"I think I am being selfish by not wanting to forgive her."

"Why?" Edward asked curiously as he reached for Bella's hand, but she grew stiff beside him. She was beginning to shut herself off again.

"I don't want to forgive her because of the way she treated me and then left when I needed her the most. But then I think harder about it and I realize I don't want to be a selfish bitch like my mother was when she decided to leave. I am stronger than she is and I should be able to give her this peace before she dies, right?"

"Ultimately the decision is yours, Bella. Do you want my opinion?" Bella nodded her head softly as she pushed some tears from her cheeks with the back of her hands. "I think your father is right. If you don't do something, you will probably regret it. Do you want that to follow you around for the rest of your life?"

"Why did you really come here, Edward?"

"I came because I wanted to be here for you, just like I said when I got here." Edward paused as Bella eyed him up suspiciously. "And I missed you."

"I... Edward, I can't be whatever it is you think you want. I need to focus on... I need to handle things with Renee and then when she has passed away, I'm leaving again. I don't think I can stay."

"Did I ever ask anything of you, Bella?"

"No... but you want me to stay and I can't."

Bella began to cry again and Edward stood up from the bed and made his way back to the window, lifting his leg to step through it. "One day you will realize that you have more regrets than you can count, Bella. And me... I'll be right up at the top of list because you will regret pushing me away."