Dude! Dude! You all have me completely astonished! I thought for sure you'd side with Edward, but so many of you took Bella's side in everything. I'm now glad that I didn't place a monetary bet with my beta on the reactions! But everyone had valid points to whichever side they took, and even I see both sides of the coin. Edward felt deceived but Bella felt she had to find out if he'd really want her over the idealistic Rosalie.

Now, I wanted to have this chapter up earlier, but when I got it finished my internet decided to crap out on me and I didn't get it back until about 2 hours ago. It's also unbeta'd because my wonderful beta, Twilight Crystal, had a very rough evening with one of her minions. She needed the sleep she's currently getting. Love you Crystal! So yeah, my internet is crap and I live in bum fuck Georgia where I have two choices for internet, bad and not so bad. We use not so bad but it's still bad whenever there is the slightest of inclement weather. The winds picked up here to about 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph (which isn't much considering I'm from Kansas, but Georgia can't deal with anything more than a small breeze without issuing a 'wind advisory'). Not so bad internet couldn't handle the wind, nor could my cable or power, and we had several outages. But it's back up and running and I'm able to post. So enjoy!

Twilight Crystal is my beta with the night off and I only own the plot!

Cover Girl Chapter 14

Edward woke up to a massive headache, a wicked hangover, sore hands, and Emmett standing over him with a puzzled expression.

"Did you drink all these?" Emmett asked and Edward rolled over to see what he was kicking.

"Uh, my hangover says yes, but I honestly don't remember," Edward replied, rolling onto his back and pressing his palms into his face.

"Fuck, dude! What happened to your hands?" Emmett yelled, making Edward cringe from the volume and Edward put his hands in front of his face to see what Emmett was talking about.

Upon seeing what looked raw skin and dirty, dried blood all over his hands, Edward groaned as he remembered exactly how his hands got that way.

"Doesn't matter, it happened. Now, let me shower and I want to get out of here," Edward said as he tried to sit up, but only managed to roll off the bed and into his attempt at drinking away the memories.

"Here, let me help you," Emmett said, hoisting Edward off the floor. He didn't let go until Edward was stable on his feet and away from the alcoholic's trash heap he had made.

"I mean it Em, pack up, we're going home today," Edward said before he closed the bathroom door and locked it behind him.

Emmett knocked on the door, his voice easily permeating the wood and water that Edward had turned on to drown him out.

"What do you mean going home? We don't check out until tomorrow!"

"Whether or not you leave, I'm going, which means my car goes too. You want to have a ride home then I suggest you pack!" Edward shouted at his brother before stepping under the scalding spray, wincing when it hit his hands.

Edward washed up as gingerly and quickly as he could, knowing that he would still look completely wrecked, but he didn't care. He just wanted to leave Vegas and the memories of the previous night behind for good. He wouldn't be coming back ever. When he exited the bathroom, Emmett was sitting on the bed looking at him sternly.

"Why are we leaving? Aren't we supposed to go out today with Bel-" Emmett started to ask but Edward stopped him before going any further.

"Don't! Just don't! Don't say her name, don't ask any questions, and don't try and stop me from leaving. I'm out of here in one hour, Emmett. Do you hear me? One hour!" Edward nearly growled and then walked past his brother to get dressed and pack.

Emmett sat there watching him for a few minutes and then sighed, got up, and headed back to the main suite. Edward could hear him opening drawers and moving things around, and was pleased when he heard him call down to the front desk for a luggage cart. He could hear him consoling the person on the phone that everything was fine with the room and the stay, but that an unexpected situation had occurred causing the trip to be cut short. He thanked them a minute later and then yelled out that someone would be up in ten minutes to get their things.

Edward breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that their time in Vegas would soon be over. He hurried to finish packing and made sure nothing was left behind. He didn't want any reason to return to the scene of his personal humiliation and hell.

Emmett tried to talk to him a few more times as they helped the attendant load up their luggage, then on the way down the elevator, and even as they checked out and went to pick up the car from the valet, but Edward wouldn't respond to him at all, keeping his mouth set in a firm line. Emmett eventually gave up and took the driver's seat once he saw Edward settled in the passenger one.

Their drive back to Forks was extremely quiet, Edward not speaking to his brother at all. He did feel bad about it, but he was too hurt and angry at Bella and himself for being taken for a fool that he knew if he tried to converse with Emmett that he'd blow up at him. It wasn't Emmett's fault that anything happened, it was Bella's. And Edward's stomach churned nauseatingly as he replayed everything that had occurred.

They drove straight through to Forks, switching drivers as either of them had the need for a break or sleep. It was a brutal twenty-two hour drive and they finally pulled into the driveway at nine the next morning. Edward let out a relieved sigh when he saw that his parents hadn't made it back from their trip yet, and he quickly got out, grabbed his luggage, and went inside. He could hear Emmett calling after him, trying to talk to him, but Edward ignored it all as he made his way upstairs to his room, shutting and locking the door, and then he collapsed on his bed and fell asleep.

He awoke at some point during daylight hours, he wasn't quite sure of the time or how long he had slept. He could hear his doorknob being jostled and hushed whispers on the other side of it. He crawled out of bed and stumbled to the door, twisting the lock and throwing it open to reveal his mother and Emmett on the other side, both wearing stunned expressions.

"Oh goodness! Edward! You're okay!" his mother cooed as she rushed past Emmett and hugged Edward.

"Yeah, I've been asleep, it's only been a few hours," he mumbled and looked at Emmett who was slowly shaking his head.

"Dude, it's been an entire day, it's ten in the morning," Emmett explained and their mom pulled back, giving Edward a stern look.

"Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again! I don't know what happened but if you ever scare me, your father, or your brother like that again then there will be consequences! You had your brother so worried, you wouldn't answer your door, it was locked, and your phone was off. He called us in a panic and we took the first flight home. Now, explain yourself, mister!" his mother scolded him but Edward wasn't going to tell her what really happened, or even a glossed over version, instead he lied.

"It's nothing, Mom, don't worry about it. I was tired, I slept, and now I'm up and awake. See, I'm fine. Now, can you excuse me, I really have to take a piss and eat something," Edward said and his mother's eyes widened.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, don't say those thing in front of me. Bodily functions are completely normal but I don't want to hear them in a vulgar manner," she exclaimed and Emmett snickered behind her, earning her ire for a few moments.

It was a well known fact in the town of Forks that Esme Cullen didn't curse, or even use words that could be deemed offensive. Words like shit, fuck, and ass were enough to make her go ballistic and chastise the person who said them. Even milder words like damn, hell, and crap weren't allowed in her book. She went as far as taking offense to terms like piss, pussy, and dick. It was like Esme Cullen was a complete vocabulary virgin and would be sullied by the slightest marring word.

It was that very reason and Emmett's laughter at her reaction that bought Edward enough of a reprieve to escape the inquisition so he could pee and find food. Then he'd work on unpacking and moving on with his forever changed life. It wasn't like he hadn't experienced being done wrong by a girl before, because he had. He had dated several girls through high school, one being Jessica Stanley during their freshman year. But she embarrassed him by breaking up with him in the middle of the cafeteria and then making out with Mike Newton not even thirty seconds later while people laughed about it. But this time it was different. It was someone he had truly had a connection with and truly cared for. Yeah, they hadn't seen each other in years, but bonds as close as theirs was don't break easily and can stand the test of time. It was unfortunate that she felt he had to be tested to be worthy of the bond again that made everything fall apart.

Edward shook his head, trying to forget her and everything that had happened. He didn't want to sulk over it, didn't want it to prevent him from finishing school and getting the hell out of Forks, and didn't want to be that guy who was stuck pining over the girl that'd never be. No, Edward was determined to move on, forget it all, and find another college to attend. And with that determination, he grabbed a bite to eat and then got to work digging through the other acceptance letters he had received in hopes of finding a suitable second choice. There was no way that he would ever go back to that city of sin and the lying piece of trash he had actually thought he could love.

Edward buried himself in school, getting his grades even higher than before, and he spent his free time applying for any and every scholarship and grant he could find and qualify for. He knew his parents had a college fund for him, but he really wanted to ease the financial burden on them.

He went and toured three other schools, including UDUB at his brother's assistance. It would be close to home if he chose to go there, and in-state tuition was much lower, but he just didn't feel at home when he visited the campus one weekend. Edward was getting frustrated with his search because he had already found the perfect school…if only it hadn't been tainted for him.

He was looking forward to a reprieve for spring break. Emmett was supposed to come home and had expressed an interest of a guy's trip to California or something where there was sand and sun and a lot less rain. Edward was actually looking forward to it, finally beginning to pull out of his slump following what had gone down in Vegas. He still hadn't told anyone what happened, not even Emmett who was there to witness the aftermath of the breakdown, not for Emmett's lack of trying either. Edward was happy when he finally gave up trying to find out more. Emmett needed to let it go just as Edward had done, or thought he did.

He realized exactly how much he had been lying to himself when he was cleaning out his room one day, getting rid of junk early so he wouldn't have as much to sort through for college. The trunk he had kept his most valued possessions locked in had been shoved into his closet following the return from Vegas. Stuff had been piled on top of it and Edward had actually forgotten about it until the day before Emmett was set to arrive.

While working on his closet, Edward unearthed the trunk and opened it to find all the editions of Bunny Life he had saved over the last two years. The autographed copy was even locked away inside. His fingers yearned to pick up the editions, but his heart and head refused to comply and Edward grabbed a shirt off a hanger, wrapped it around the offensive memories, and seized them from the chest.

Storming downstairs, Edward threw them into the trash, gathering the previously empty bag up to throw it in the trash can outside. It was set to pick up the next day so Edward knew he'd soon be permanently rid of the sick reminders of the humiliation he endured at the hands of…that thing! He returned inside, shaking and angry that he had gotten so worked up over something he just wanted to forget. Throwing himself back into his room, Edward worked tirelessly into the night removing all hints of his former self.

He was no longer the naïve idiot who would allow someone to get one over on him. No! He was done feeling like a victim and when he went off to college, he would have a fresh start with new people and no reminder of her.

By the time Edward finished there were several full trash bags in his room. Too tired to take them out that moment, Edward collapsed on his bed and passed out into a fitful sleep, plagued with dreams of what he had once wished would come true. Edward woke late the next morning after finally taking a double dose of cold medicine to help him sleep.

After grabbing a shower, he decided to finally take out the trash bags cluttering his bedroom. He passed his mom in the kitchen on the way out the door. She was busy making a big lunch since Emmett would be there soon. He kissed her on the cheek before passing by and lugged all three bags to the can outside and rolled it down the driveway for the truck to pick up.

He was just turning to head back into the house when he heard the tale tell sound of Emmett's jeep coming down the road. Edward stopped to wait for his brother and had to move out of the way at the last moment when the jeep sped into the driveway. He barely caught the murderous look on Emmett's face before the door was flung open and his beefy brother came barreling at him, fists clenched and rage written all over his face.

Edward was stunned and couldn't move until the last second which allowed Emmett enough time to reach him. The full force of his brother slammed into him, knocking him backwards into the trash can, spilling the contents all over the driveway. Edward barely had time to take a breath before Emmett began swinging his fists.

So I was going to draw this out some into at least 2 chapters, but I don't want to bore anyone with an overly excessive brood session. Plus, I know you're all dying to find out if they reconcile. So I sped it up a little. Hope you enjoyed and sorry for the little cliffy. Now, does anyone have a guess as to why Emmett attacked Edward? You'll find out soon...