Rating: M

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer of Twilight fame, owns it all, I don't,

I just wish I did.

A/N…I can't wait until the girls and the boys collide. It really is fun stuff. Thanks T for your never ending support. You field all my questions with interest and have taken a true interest in my story and I love knowing I can depend on you to answer anything I throw at you. Amanda, you put the final touches to my story that I would never have thought of on my own. You two are truly the best.

Joan, thanks for Scarlet. I will never be the same!

CHAPTER 11

Bella

"Hey Rose," I say, "I know we had plans to go out tomorrow night but I'm not feeling up to doing that now. I was thinking, as a thanks for being my knights in shining armor, that a drunken hot tub party is warranted. Are you game?"

"Fuck yeah! Bikini optional?" Gotta love Rose.

"Oh, hells yeah!" Emmett shouts out.

"Sounds like a plan Rose. But listen, I'm okay, really. It could have been worse. I was just knocked around a little bit but Em and Jazz are here now and I won't see him again, I am certain of it. Edward will be with me until you get here. I love you and will see you and Alice first thing tomorrow, okay?"

"With bells and whistles. Do you need anything?" She asks before hanging up.

"A couple pain pills might help, but other than that, our Alice has me covered. Will you please break this to her gently, Rose. If you can't do it gently, don't say anything at all and I'll tell her. You are tougher than her and she will take it harder."

"I'll be a pansy ass for you Bella. I know how our girl is. I will see you tomorrow.

Emmett, Jasper, you guys rock and thanks for taking care of Bella. Bring your party on tomorrow. Let's see who I can drink under the table first. Good night sweetie. Until then."

"Night Rosie. Love you." I hang up the phone and lay down on the couch totally exhausted.

"Bella," Emmett says staring at nothing in particular, "I plan on marrying that girl sight unseen." I smile because I just knew they would hit it off.

"Well then, wait until you see her. You think her personality knocked your socks off…" Let him snack on that kibble.

"And Jasper, there is no doubt in my mind that Alice will be just as perfect for you. At least you boys will have a little fun this weekend while you are here. But something tells me you don't need me to make sure your beds are warm at night." I try to wink at both of them but fail miserably.

"I hope I haven't taken the liberty to plan your evenings for you while you are at Tahoe. I didn't even think that you might already have made plans. If you already have made plans, please, just let me know and we can cancel one or both nights. I don't want you to feel obligated at all." I say realizing that I have just planned their weekend for them.

"No way. I may have left a young lady wanting when you sent your message to Edward, but I like your plan better." Emmett says with a wink and a naughty grin.

"Is Alice as commanding as Rose?" Jasper asks quietly.

"No. They are very opposite. She is very sweet and unassuming and doesn't have a mean bone in her tiny body. Rosalie and I adore her and so will you."

And just as I am telling Jasper about Alice, Edward returns looking strikingly beautiful in a pair of dark jeans and a charcoal gray sweater with a white t-shirt peeking out from underneath it. He is wearing a pair of black Sorels and a black and maroon North Face jacket. As usual he smells even better than he looks, if that's even possible.

He bends down to kiss my bruised cheek and strokes the side of my sore hair-torn head. Emmett and Jazz move to leave but not before Jazz puts more logs on the fire for me. God, I love these guys.

"Thank you both again so much. Come over about 6:00 tomorrow night and I'll throw some steaks on the grill and we shall proceed to get hammered." I say, smiling at both of them.

I hug them both and when they leave Edward locks up the house, pours us a glass of wine, turns off the lights and puts on some soft soothing tunes. If I wasn't so beat up, I would be happy to be seduced by all of this but I know he is just making sure I am relaxed. Bless his handsome heart. He bends and lifts me off of the couch and sits down, positioning me on his lap and covering me with a blanket. I lay my head down on his chest and we sit watching the fire in total silence as I recounted the events of this day. I shudder at the thought and shake those thoughts out of my mind.

"I called Rose while you were gone." I say watching the fire. "The boys had to help me with it. I think Emmett's in love with her already." I can't help but giggle at that.

"Are you kidding me? Does he even know what she looks like?" He asks, smiling down at me.

"No, but he said he was ready to marry her sight unseen." I say, giggling. "Here let me show you what she looks like." I reach into my bag that's on the coffee table and dig for my wallet?

"Here is a picture of Rose, Mr. Cullen." As I hand him the picture, his eyes nearly fall onto his lap.

"Holy shit! Oh man, I can't wait for this." He says laughing. "You have to make sure I am standing in front of him when he sees her tomorrow, okay?" He throws his head back laughing. "Poor Emmett, he's toast."

I knew there would be that kind of reaction from him. Rose ALWAYS gets that kind of reaction. She is tall, blonde and blue eyed and is one of the most beautiful women I have ever met. But what separates Rose from the rest is that not only is she beautiful on the outside, she is beautiful on the inside as well. When she walks into a room, all eyes are on her and the volume in the room will turn into a low hush as people focus on her sheer beauty. She has a presence that captivates you. Edward commands that same attention when he enters a room as well I have noticed.

"Hey! Would you prefer I fix her up with you instead, Edward?" I say, feeling a little unerved by the whole idea.

"Oh, no Bella. I like the one eyed monster sitting right here just fine." He says very sweetly.

He repositions me so that I am lying on the couch and he gently lays my head on his lap as he runs his hand up and down my arm.

"Would you like to see what I have for Jasper? I am equally as certain that those two are going to hit it off." And I show him a picture of Alice.

"Holy cow, Bella. Your friends are beautiful. She is stunning. Jasper is going to fall over when he sees her. I bet the three of you kill when you go out for girl's night." He says, looking down at me and running his hand across my damaged face.

"About as much as the three of you when you boys go out. I can imagine what I interrupted when you were at Sam's." He rolls his eyes at me.

"Em was getting busy but Jazz and I were being perfect angels".

Somehow I find it hard to believe that it would even be remotely possible for any one of them to sit anywhere for very long and not be propositioned. Repeatedly.

"Well, tomorrow night sounds to be just as exciting. I think Rose said something about clothing optional hot tubbing." That peaks Edward's attention.

"You will not be getting naked for my brothers, Bella." He says, sternly.

"And you will not be getting naked for my girls, Edward." I return, smiling.

Edward bends his head to kiss me on the forehead when his phone starts ringing.

"Cullen." He says in that commanding tone.

"I can't talk to you right now. No, I can't call you later either." I feel his body tense as he talks to the caller.

I move to get up so he can have some privacy but he holds me down. I tell him I have to go to the bathroom and he lets go of me. I slowly make the climb upstairs.

"Tanya, I told you I can't talk to you right now." I pause on the stairs, "I told you I won't be home for another week. I plan on staying here through next weekend." Another pause on his end, "Well you will just have to cancel." He says angrily.

I can't help but overhear him say her name. Dread flows through my body at the thought of him talking to her. I try not to listen but now my ears have zeroed in on the conversation.

"No, Tanya, I do not want you here." I glance at him and see him jump up, he looks so pissed. "Because, one, I have Emmett and Jasper here and two, I told you earlier what was going on with me. You will not show up here Tanya." He hesitates again. What is she saying? "Yes, I will be there in time for dinner. I will see you then. I will call you when I get a chance. Good night."

I guess that answers any residual questions I might have about his relationship with Tanya. He has a dinner date with her so there has to be something else going on that he couldn't or wouldn't divulge to me yesterday. There goes the wall around my heart.

I don't know how long I am standing there when he finally sees me on the landing at the top of the stairs. I am looking directly at him but I can't see him. I know I am done because I have felt this same exact way before. Only this time I didn't walk out of the bedroom after watching my boyfriend fuck my best friend. I knew I was going to fall and reach out to hold onto the guardrail but I fall anyway. I hear Edward yell out my name as he runs up the stairs to catch me. But he's too late and I hit the hardwood floor.

"Bella? Please baby, wake up. Please." I can hear the anguish in his voice.

"Please call Rose and ask her to come now. I need my phone." I try to get up to find my phone. Where in the fuck is it?

"Bella, please stop. Settle down, you need to relax and lie still. It looks like you have reinjured your eye. I think you should go to the hospital."

"NO. No hospital. You need to go home, Edward. I don't want you here." I try to stand up but, shit, I can't. Maybe I do need to go to the hospital.

"I am not leaving you here alone Bella. What's wrong? Tell me what's the matter?" He pleads.

"I NEED my fucking phone." I find it on the floor beside the couch and dial Rose.

"Rose, it's me. Is there any way you can come now? I am so sorry but I need someone here with me and Edward needs to leave. No, I want him to leave. No, Rose, you can't talk to him. I just need you to….." Edward grabs the phone out of my hand and I hear him frantically talking to Rose from the kitchen.

"I don't know what happened." I hear him say. "She went upstairs to go to the bathroom while I was on the…phone." Edward turns around and looks at me. His shoulders fall and he lets out a deep breath.

"Rose, I know what happened. She overheard a telephone conversation I was having and she misunderstood what I said."

I turn and go lie down on the couch, covering up in front of the fire. I don't want him here. I can't do this anymore. I know that I have become more attached to him than I first realize. The very thought of him even looking into her eyes the way he looks into mine makes me physically ill.

"Bella, Rose wants to talk to you." He says.

I take my phone back from him and don't make any room for him on the couch, so he takes a seat in the chair.

"What?" I nearly whine.

"Did you overhear a phone conversation? Is that why you are pissed?" Rose asks sounding vaguely like my mother.

"He has a girlfriend, Rose. You know how I feel about that shit. I can't have him here. Are you coming or not, Rose?"

My mind keeps recalling the day I entered Jessica's bedroom and it won't stop. I see that vision over and over and over.

"No." Rose says matter of factly.

"Why the hell not? Do I have to drive home then? I will, you know I will. I'll pack my fucking truck and drive home right now." I yell at her.

"No, you will not. According to Emmett you can't even see out of your eye. So you are now a safety hazard on the already icy roads. And Edward is not leaving because I asked him to stay there in case that motherfucker shows up again. If he sees that you are there alone he could bust through that door and you know it. In addition, Edward has a perfectly sound explanation as to what you overheard and you, Bella, jumped the gun. You owe it to him to listen."

"I don't do well with people who try to be with me when they already have someone, Rose, you know that." I say as I looked at Edward.

I get up and pour myself a double of Jack Daniels and swallow it straight in one gulp. I then pour another double for Edward and hand it to him and he swallows it down. I put the glass on the table and sit back down on the couch.

"Bella, look at Edward right now." I look at him and he's sitting in the chair with his ankle crossed over his knee.

"Okay, I'm looking at him. Now what?" Edward watches me watch him and I wonder what Rose is up to.

"Ask him if he has a fucking girlfriend."

"Edward, do you have a fucking girlfriend?"

"No, but I'm trying hard to work on one." He says looking directly at me.

"What does that mean? And what was that about her coming here and you making plans for dinner when you get home." I demand.

Rose speaks up, "Is that what you heard? Man, I'd be pissed too if I heard that, but still, hear him out. But seriously, do I need to be present for this conversation, Bella? Because if I don't, I need to get back to the man I've got laying here."

"Oh shit Rose, I am so sorry. I didn't know you had company. I'll see you tomorrow. Leave early and be here as soon as you can please. I love you." And with that, I hang up.

Edward and I sit and stare at each other. His foot is now bouncing on his knee. He jumps up and pours another double of Jack, downing it quickly.

"Edward, all of this is too much for me. Between everything you and I have been through just in meeting each other. That has been stressful enough, then my episode yesterday when you told me about Tanya and her being your fuck buddy and all." I say sarcastically, "And now this with Jacob, it's just been terribly stressful for me. I can't imagine how it has been for you. I know you have your day-to-day stress with your job, but this is an emotional stress and that takes its toll." I look down and try to catch my breath, "I know, I have lived it. But I just can't get involved with you on the level of intensity that we have already experienced when there's a woman in your life. We have crossed the line too many times already and it needs to stop."

My heart is breaking as I say this to him, but I know I need to stop this train and I need to do it now, before it is too late. And the way I feel right now, for me at least, I already know that it's too late.

"Edward," I say calmly and logically, "I don't think Jacob will come back so I think you can go home." I really thought I could make it to the end without crying but the tears start of their own accord. And with the events that have happened today, I am just exhausted and the tears flow easily. God, I have really grown to care for him. This fucking sucks!

Edward stands up and I figure he is leaving but instead, he scoops me up in his arms and carries me upstairs, putting me in bed. He then goes into the bathroom and gets my hairbrush. He sits down behind me and starts brushing my hair out, making sure not to hurt the side of my head where my hair has been ripped out. Other than my stylist, I have never had anyone brush my hair before and it feels really nice. He then lays me down and tucks me in.

He leaves the room and I am left there thinking about everything. Did I jump to a conclusion like Rose suggested? My head is pounding and as if on cue, Edward comes back with a glass of ice water and two Advil's. I sit up swallowing down the asprin and water while I watch him silently move about the room. First he builds a fire and then walks to the double French doors and opens the curtains to show me it is snowing, glancing at me over his shoulder. He then turns out the lights and I watch it snow outside by firelight. It is so beautiful to see the snow falling over the lake.

I watch Edward expertly move about the room, occasionally sneaking peeks at me out the corner of his eye. Other than watching it snow, my eyes never leave him. And through all of this I can feel that the wall I had unnecessarily erected start to tumble down as he takes care of me like this. He cares for me and I can see it plain as day.

He walks to the other side of the bed and lifts his sweater over his head leaving his t-shirt on. He then steps out of his jeans and I can't help but look. It's like a beacon. He just stands there in his shirt and boxer briefs. He saw my eyes get as big as saucers as I stared at his body and he bends over, resting his hands on the bed, and speaks for the first time since he laid me in the bed.

"Bella, I have seen your beautiful breasts this evening, I think you can handle seeing me like this, don't you agree?"

I nod and he climbs into the bed. He stays on his side with his back to me leaving me alone for the night. He has got to be the sweetest man I have ever met. Even after I demanded that he leave me alone and for him to go home, he didn't. Instead, he took care of me and refused to leave me unprotected. What in the hell was I thinking?

I roll over and wrap my arms around him and hug him tight, burying my face into his back. Me and my ridiculous insecurities!

"I like you, Edward Cullen. I really like you." I say hugging him to me.

He takes my hand and squeezes it tightly, never saying a word and we fell asleep.

I wake up hot and sweaty, feeling like a ton of bricks is lying across my chest. I look down and see Edward sprawled across my chest, using my breasts as pillows while his legs are wrapped around mine. I have found myself in an Edward cocoon.

"Edward?" I try to wake him after several failed attempts to move out from under him. "Edward?" I say again.

"Hmmm… don't move." He says and I think he is still asleep.

"Edward, you need to move off of me, I am burning up and you are too heavy for me." I try to move him off of my chest but he only holds me tighter. "EDWARD?" I yell and that gets his attention.

He bolts up and jumps out of bed ready to pounce on the next thing that moves.

I am on my knees in the middle of the bed trying to get his attention. "Edward, it's just me." I say to him. "You were lying across my chest and I couldn't breathe. Come back to bed, it's only 3:30."

He just stands there staring at me and then moves to climb in under the blankets again. He reaches for me, pulling me close to him.

"You are so fucking beautiful." He says as he kisses my swollen eye. He tucks his pillow under his head and falls right back to sleep.

He thinks I'm beautiful, even with my face covered with bruises and my messed up bed head. But we still have Tanya to talk about. Tomorrow. We will talk about it tomorrow, but for tonight, I am just going to love the feel of sleeping in his arms.

A/N...Special thanks goes to Maryann Liberatore for nominating Black Diamond for Fic of the Week on the Lemonade Stand. Voting goes on until Friday so if you like the story head on over and vote...www dot tehlemonadestand dot net/?zx=330f6fbea9dcaaee