Yeah! The upload thingy finally worked and I didn't have to backdoor it in! Go me! :D

Thanks to everyone who's stuck with this little story of mine. I hope you are enjoying it. This chapter was a little difficult to write for some reason and it took me a while. And look at how long it turned out! I hope you think it was worth the wait.

Time for business: I do not own Twilight, it's characters, or it's situations. Those all belong to Stephenie Meyers. But I can dream, can't I?

Please enjoy...

Chapter 13: Blitzkrieg Bop

Bella moved through the kitchen, self consciously, pouring herself a cup of coffee and drinking it black as she leaned against the counter. Charlie was still home, sitting at the kitchen table in his uniform, eyes alternating between reading the newspaper and glancing up at her as he lingered over his morning coffee…something he never did.

He was making her nervous.

"So, Bells," he broke the nervous silence. "Did you sleep well last night after our talk?"

"Yeah," she avoided eye contact with him, opting to turn and keep her back to him while she pretended to fuss at the counter, taking the sponge from the sink to wipe up an imaginary coffee spill. "I mean, it took me a little time to relax enough. My mind was kind of keyed up from our conversation, you know, but once I fell asleep, I slept straight through the night." She tossed the sponge back into the sink, running the water and rinsing it out.

"That's good," she could hear him shifting in his chair. "Did Edward sleep as well as you did?"

She whipped around, gasping, and stared at him with eyes as big as saucers. How had he known?

"Oh, come on. I heard the two of you talking, Bells." He took a sip of his coffee as she moved to the table with her mug, pulling out a chair and quietly flopping down on it.

"You eaves dropped at my door?" She looked at him hard.

"I came up to say goodnight, and I heard him talking. You know, the walls of this old house aren't all that thick. Not to mention that I'm both a father and a cop, Bells," he shrugged and then tapped a finger to his temple. "Sixth sense and all that."

"I'm sorry, Charlie," she looked down at her hands, wrapped around the warm mug of coffee sitting in front of her. "I just…I just couldn't send him home. Not in the state he was in after confessing everything like that. I just didn't' have the heart after what he told me." She rested her elbows on the table, leaning her chin in her hands. "He was so sad. You didn't see his face. It still hurts him."

"I know, Bells. I just wish you wouldn't be so sneaky about it, though," Charlie's voice was filled with understanding.

"What was I going to do? Come downstairs and say 'Hey, Charlie, Edward just climbed in my window. He's really sad and upset and he can't sleep. So can my boyfriend spend the night in my room? In my bed? Pretty please?'" She shook her head.

"Bella," Charlie's voice was soft as he looked at her. "I heard just about everything that boy said to you. You know, on the outside, the Cullen's look like the perfect family, even with Edward being the 'weird' one. They look like, I don't know, some sort of Christmas ad for Ralph Lauren or something, you know?" He shook his head. "But, when you look closer, you see that it's all nothing but a facad. It's all fake. Smoke and mirrors. Makes me feel sorry for Carlisle and Esme. They are good people. And I feel bad for your Edward. He's a good kid, Bells."

"Rose is a bitch. I hate her for what she's done to him." She felt her anger rising again.

"She's definitely a piece of work, that one. Had to be that way to survive the foster care game, I guess. I mean, it couldn't have been easy for her." He drained his cup of the last of his coffee.

"But Doctor and Mrs. Cullen aren't like that," Bella protested. "They are kind and loving. Esme…Esme is a born mother. And Carlisle is the gentlest person I've ever met."

"I agree, Bells. Something as trivial as a bedroom shouldn't cause such issues," he shifted in his chair as he sighed "But, we don't know Rose's frame of mind, or what sort of abuse she may have suffered in her life. Trauma. I'm not making any excuses for what she's done to Edward or Esme, but, I mean, do you or any of the Cullen's outside of Esme and Carlisle really know her story? Does Edward? And for that matter, do Carlisle and Esme know what really happened to that girl while she was in foster care?"

"No. I wouldn't know," she sniffed. "She wouldn't ever lower herself to talk to Edward's girlfriend," she rolled her eyes. "As for Dr. Cullen and Esme…" her voice trailed off. "I don't know. I never really thought of it that way."

"You only think about how this all affects Edward, which I can completely understand," Charlie's voice was soft. "But, there has to be a story behind her actions, Bella. You have to understand that."

She sighed. "I see your point, Charlie. But I still want to hurt her for what she's done to Edward."

"I understand, but, well, to be brutally frank, it's not your battle to fight, Bells. It's Edward's," he stood up, bringing his coffee cup to the sink and rinsing it out.

"I wish there were something I could do for him," she sighed. "To make it easier for him."

"There is, and you're doing it. Just be there for him. Listen to him. And, on occasion, hold him while he sleeps. Only, tell him next time to use the door and don't go making a habit of it, ok?" He smiled at her. "Have a good day, Bells."

"Thanks, Charlie," she stood up and hugged her father. "Oh, wait. This morning Edward mentioned that his mom and dad invited us to spend Thanksgiving with them," she bit her bottom lip, hoping her father would accept the Cullen's invitation and she wouldn't be forced to spend Thanksgiving in La Push with the Blacks, like Charlie usually did. Especially now that Jacob had taken to drinking so much lately. The last time she'd gone down to visit with Charlie, she spent the entire time fending off the many hands he seemed to grow in his inebriated state.

Charlie smiled at her. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," she nodded.

"That'd be pretty cool," Charlie's smile gave way to a big grin. "Edward's told me that Carlisle's got a flat screen HDTV twice the size of mine!"

Bella rolled her eyes at her old man. "Oh God, can you ever think of something that's not sports?"

"I think of something that's not sports all the time, Bells," his grin softened. "I think of you. Love ya, Bells," he leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently.

"I love you too, Charlie Swan," she giggled. "And do I tell Edward we accept?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you can't wait to watch football on Carlisle's tv," she shook her head as she watched her father put his hat on his head, big grin on his face.

"I think you think right, Bells. You better get ready for school. Just…be safe, Bells. Because, I really do like Edward and it would be a shame if I had to rip his balls off, ok?" He smiled and pecked her on the forehead one more time before heading out of the house.

She watched Charlie close the door behind him before she ran up to her room to grab her messenger bag and her jacket. She felt like she was walking on air. She grabbed her keys as she breezed down the stairs and past the hallway table where she'd tossed them the night before when she got home from Edwards. Thanksgiving with the Cullens! A real Thanksgiving! Not the kind she had the last two years with her mother and Phil, spent at Phil's puritanical parents house. She shuddered at the thought. Phil's mother, all buttoned up with that stern Pilgrim like expression on her face, passing judgment on Bella based solely on her clothing and not on the person she really was. And then there was Phil's demanding father, calling his wife "woman" or "wife", all while expecting to be waited on hand and foot by her, like he was some sort of royalty.

She frowned. She hated that her mother had been following in the footsteps she'd learned on those visits to Phil's family. No woman was subservient to any man. She'd learned that from Renee while growing up. Yet, there was her mother, waiting on Phil hand and foot, demanding that Bella to stop dressing provocatively and take her piercings out, all with the sole purpose of making Phil happy.

Renee referred to Phil as "old fashioned". Bella preferred the term "douche bag".

She rolled her eyes as she started her truck. She couldn't imagine how her mother would have reacted to Edward sneaking into her room last night, let alone spending the night there secretly. The old Renee would probably have just told her to be careful, and make sure she took precautions, even though they hadn't done anything. The new Renee? Well, Bella was certain at the very least there would have been a long lecture from Phil, along with an indefinite grounding.

And nothing had happened Far from it. Edward had cried quietly while she had held him, soothing him with a soft lullaby she hummed as she ran her hand rhythmically through his hair. He'd fallen into a troubled slumber a short time later, but she continued to hum to him as she caressed his copper tresses until she, too, fell off to sleep.

Charlie was a lot cooler about it than she could have ever hoped for him to be. It was a funny thing about Charlie. She hadn't spent much time with him growing up, and yet, after only a few days living in Forks with him, she had forged a much stronger bond with him than she had with her mother after all the years she lived with her. Charlie understood her. Maybe she was more like him than she had thought. How many fathers with guns would let their teenage daughter's boyfriend spend the night in her bedroom without blowing the boy's nuts clean off? Charlie was a fair minded man who, she realized, believed what she told him, and, even in the event that he didn't quite believe the story, he believed in giving the benefit of the doubt.

When she arrived at school, she pulled the red truck into a parking spot a few spaces down from where Edward's shiny silver Volvo was parked. Edward was sitting behind the wheel of the car, head resting on the steering wheel. He looked like he was asleep. At least, she hoped he was asleep.

She got out of the car and slung her messenger bag over her shoulder as she made her way over to the Volvo, heart pounding.

"Edward?" She tapped on the glass lightly.

Edward jumped inside the vehicle and looked around confused. He smiled slightly when he saw her standing by his door.

"Hey," he opened the door and got out, leaning down to place a light kiss on her lips.

"Sorry, I must have dozed off for a minute," he sighed as he opened the back door to get his backpack out. He clicked the remote and the Volvo locked with an electronic squeel.

"Are you feeling any better," she asked as they walked slowly up the path toward the buildings, toward their first classes of the day.

"A little, thanks to you," he smiled. "I'm just really tired, that's all."

"Well, you were pretty upset last night. That had to be very draining," she sighed quietly as he reached for her hand, twisting their fingers together.

"It was," he shook his head. "As was the reaming I took from my dad this morning when he caught me sneaking in."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, but once I got to explain, well, he understood, I guess," he shrugged his shoulders as they stopped walking in front of the building where Bella's first class was.

"Yeah, well, Charlie understood too," she smirked.

"You told him?" Edward's eyebrows shot up in surprise as his eyes widened.

"Didn't have to," she shook her head. "He heard us. He heard what you told me."

Edward sucked a deep breath in. "Did he know I slept there?" Edward felt his stomach flip. As if his life didn't suck already. All he needed was for Chief Swan to come after him with his gun, and things would be complete.

"Yeah, he did," she rolled her eyes. "Said he had a 'sixth sense'," she cocked an eyebrow up as she mimicked the same finger to temple motion that her father had made earlier in the morning.

"Oh, God, I'm dead," Edward swallowed hard.

"No you aren't, silly," she pulled him closer to her by the lapels of his leather jacket. "He said he understood completely that you needed to be with me. Charlie might be the chief of police," she stood up on her toes. "But he's totally cool." Her warm lips brushed his and she felt him exhale at their connection.

"Thank you," he whispered, his emerald eyes blazing into hers. "I can't tell you how much last night meant to me."

"And I can't tell you how much it meant to me that you opened up to me, Edward," she wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"I love you," he kissed the top of her head lightly.

"And I love you too, Mr. Cullen. Now, I suggest you get to class."

They looked up, noticing the smirk on Mr. Banner's face.

"Yes, Mr. Banner," Edward sighed, pulling away from Bella reluctantly. "See you at lunch."

"Lunch," she moaned, watching him as he slowly turned and walked away, heading to his first class.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Edward flicked his wrist quickly and the box sliced open with deadly precision. Things were starting to get back to normal for most of the Cullen's a week after the dreadful accident. He was thankfully back at work. Alice and Jasper were back at school as the walking wounded. And, much to Alice's pure, unadulterated glee, she was suddenly the most popular girl on campus. Rose was home, and, mercifully, her jaw was still wired shut. She was none too happy having to do her schoolwork silently at home while still experiencing a great deal of discomfort from the accident and subsequent surgery she had undergone. She had to do it, though, in order to be able to graduate on schedule with Emmett. The rest of the family, however, wasn't nearly as miserable as she was, since she no longer had the ability to make anyone but herself miserable. For the time being, anyway. They knew that would all change once the jaw was fully functional again.

Would it make him a bad person if he prayed that her jaw never fully functioned again? He pulled a can of creamed corn out of what remained of the box, flipping it from one hand to the other, and stacking it neatly on the shelf, label out.

"I heard they had some hot stock boys here, but I had to see it with my own eyes," a familiar voice flirted.

A lopsided grin greeted her as he turned around, emerald eyes blazing. "Hey, lady," he pulled another can from the box, flipping it with great confidence from one hand to the other. "What brings you to the Thriftway?"

"Hunger," she laughed. She took him in. Black jeans, white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The thin black tie he wore hung loosely around the neck of the shirt, which had the top two buttons undone so that she could see a whisper of chest hair peeping out. His name tag, proclaiming him "", was pinned to the shirt pocket and flopped up and down as he tossed the cans from hand to hand.

"What's for dinner tonight?" He stacked the cans as he spoke to her.

"I thought I'd make some grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup," she smiled. "You in?"

"I wish. I can't tonight. I have a report on To Kill a Mockingbird due tomorrow and I haven't even finished reading it yet," his lopsided grin turned into a scowl.

"That's a great book," she sighed. She had been hoping that she would get to spend more time with him once Rose was home from the hospital, but so far, it hadn't panned out that way.

"Rain check?"

"Sure. I'm making quiche and salad tomorrow night, so maybe you can come over for that?" She waved her hand at the cart, bringing Edward's attention to the frozen pie crust and necessary ingredients for a spinach quiche.

"I wouldn't miss it," he smiled as he licked his lips seductively. "Hey, I'm not scheduled to work on Friday night. Want to head into Port Angeles for a movie and some Chinese?"

"Sounds like a plan, Ed Ward," she giggled as she said his name.

He rolled his eyes. "Can you believe people come up to me and call me Mr. Ward? I mean, it's a town of what? Three thousand people? And they don't know I'm a Cullen?"

"I believe it," she laughed. "Most people aren't very bright. How come I never noticed it before?"

"Because you couldn't take your eyes off my gorgeous face or my hot ass?" He crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her as he wiggled his hips.

"Now you're just being silly," she shook her head as she laughed. But she knew he was right. She could never take her eyes off his beautiful face. His strong, stubble covered jaw. The soft, full lips she wanted to be kissing right that instant. Those amazing green marble eyes that seemed to look directly into her soul. The wild, russet hair that had a mind of it's own. Edward, whether he realized it or not, was beautiful.

He broke down the now empty corn box and sliced open another box. "What time should I be there for dinner tomorrow?"

She thought for a minute. "Charlie should be home by 6:30, so come by then."

"Should I use the front door or the bedroom window?" His green eyes shone with a mischievous smile.

"Smart ass," she smirked. "Charlie would cut your thing off just because if you did that."

"I'll be sure to use the front door then," he laughed. "I'll ring the doorbell and I'll even wipe my feet before crossing the threshold."

She smiled at him with a wide grin before saying, "Well, I better let you get back to work," she sighed, not wanting to leave him.

"Yeah, I have a lot of stocking to do," he frowned as he looked at the loaded hand truck. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, ok?"

"Tomorrow," she nodded before pushing her cart past him.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" She turned and he caught her cheek in his elegant hand, his soft, warm lips on hers.

"Night," he whispered.

"Night, Ed. Ward," she smiled at him before forcing herself to push her cart away.

Bella wandered around the vegetables, picking up some zucchini, wondering what she could make with them that Charlie would actually eat, when she heard her name.

"Bella!"

She turned around and before she saw it coming, became engulfed within large, warm arms.

"Jacob! What are you doing here?" She pushed out of his embrace quickly.

"What? I can't buy food?" A warm smile spread across his bronze face. "It's so good to see you! I never get to see you anymore!"

Bella had known Jacob Black her entire life. His father was Charlie's best friend. She hadn't seen much of Jacob since moving back to Forks, since he lived out on the La Push reservation. She just never seemed to get out there much, even with Charlie. She knew the reason for her lack of Jacob time was stocking shelves in the canned vegetable aisle.

"Yeah, I'm pretty busy with school," she twisted her hair around her finger nervously, avoiding eye contact with Jacob. When he was like this, he was the most friendly, sweetest, albeit hugest, boy, on the planet. There was always a huge warm smile and a welcoming embrace when you saw Jacob. It had always bothered her just a little bit that she never felt more toward him than just friendship. But she knew she could never have with Jacob what she had with Edward. Sadly, it was the times that she saw him after he'd imbibed in too much of his self proclaimed "firewater" that she was more than a little thankful she'd never been involved with him in a romantic way.

"I'm sure. Junior and Senior years are hard," he frowned. "Are you planning on college?"

"Yeah, but I don't know where I want to go yet," she twisted her right leg around her left as she fidgeted, eyes darting toward the aisle where was working. "You?"

"Eh. My dad wants me to go to the University of Washington, but I dunno," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I just want to work as a mechanic. It's what I'm good at, you know?"

"Well, you can always go to one of those technical colleges, if you want. That would make Billy happy, no?" She tried to sound upbeat.

"That's what I was thinking of doing. That way, Dad would be happy I went to, well, something, and I can do the work I like," his dark skin glowed in the florescent lighting of the grocery store.

"Well, there you go!" She tried not to sound as awkward as she felt.

"So, what's for dinner?" He peeked into her cart.

"Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. You?"

"I'm making some…" his voice trailed off. "Well, we're men, so we eat, you know, meat." He smiled sheepishly at her, holding his hands out as he shrugged his shoulders. "I was in town and I figured to stop in here to grab some ground beef and hamburger buns for dinner."

"Oh, I would never begrudge any man his meat. I know how much you like to eat your meat." It was out before she realized it, and her hand clapped over her mouth as her eyes bugged out. "That's not what I meant, Jake!" His face held an amused expression as he watched the color rise in her cheeks. "I meant, I know men like to eat their meat. I mean…I…know you like your meat," her voice trailed off and she took a deep breath. "Oh, this isn't coming out right," she buried her face in her hands as Jake chuckled softly.

"It's ok, Bella. I know what you meant. I just really enjoyed hearing you trying to say it," the wide smile on his dark face showed his snow white teeth. She wondered how he got his teeth so impossibly white. "Hey, you and Charlie coming out to La Push for Thanksgiving?"

The sudden pink of her embarrassed cheeks faded to stark white. "Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah," Jacob nodded. "Charlie always has Thanksgiving with us."

"He does?" She swallowed hard.

"Yep. Every year. It's Dad, me, Charlie and the Clearwater's."

"Oh, um…gee, I didn't know that, Jake. Charlie hadn't mentioned it to me." She tried to think of what to say. Think, Bella, think! "Well, I'm sort of seeing this guy," she started quietly. "and, his parents kind of invited us already…"

"Hey, it's ok. I understand." Jacob's smile was still warm, but she could see the disappointment in his eyes. "I kind of figured you and Charlie would want to spend your first holiday together at home alone, to be honest."

"That had actually been my plan until Edward's parents invited us," she sighed. And that was the truth. She had tried to figure out what she was going to make for them both on Thanksgiving so that Charlie would enjoy a nice holiday meal and she could actually have something to eat. The Cullen's had made that decision for her.

"Edward? Wait…you aren't seeing that weird Cullen guy, are you? The one that works here?" Jacob's eyes widened.

"Jake," she shook her head. "He…he's not weird. He's a really nice guy," she nodded her head. "I mean, I wouldn't be dating him if he weren't."

"Does your father know which Cullen you're seeing?"

"Charlie really likes Edward," her voice grew low.

"He does? Isn't that one a delinquent?"

"No, he's not, Jake." She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "He's a great guy." She stopped herself short of reminding Jake of his own run in's with the law in Forks.

"Ok, ok," he held his hands out in front of himself. "Don't get so defensive. I've never met the guy, but I'll take your word for it since you're so passionate about it." He looked around. "Look, I need to get home and start dinner, so I'm going to go grab my…uh…meat," he smiled slyly at her as he winked, "and go, ok?"

"Sure, Jake," she shook her head before hugging him. "Drive carefully, ok?"

"Sure, sure," Jake's muscular arms wrapped around her small back. There was a different feel to hugging Jake than there was to hugging Edward. Edward's body was tone and lithe. She was sure that once she got his shirt off she would see sculpted muscles the likes of which only Michelangelo could have carved. Jake was much more outwardly built. His biceps flexed as he hugged her, and she could feel his well developed pectorals through his shirt.

"Say hi to Billy for me," she called over her shoulder as she headed to the cashier.

"Will do," he waved his large hand as he headed down the canned vegetable aisle toward the meat cases.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oh come on, Edward," she rolled her eyes. "Why can't you be normal?"

"I am normal, Bella," he giggled as she tried to pry his long fingers open from the fist they were balled up into.

"Everyone reads their fortune out loud!"

"No they don't! If you say it out loud then it doesn't come true," he argued as he laughed at her futile attempts to open up is fist.

"That's a wish, you moron, not your fortune!" She blew away a wisp of hair that had fallen into her face during their struggle. "You aren't supposed to tell what you wished for. It's different from a fortune."

"All the same, I'd rather not take any chances with this baby," he held his fist up in front of her. "This stays between me and Mr. Wong's Fortune Cookie factory," he read from the wrapper that had been on the fortune cookie.

"Everyone knows this, Edward. You keep a wish secret but you read your fortune out loud and end it with 'in bed'," she chewed on a piece of the sweet cookie. "Like this," she cleared her throat for effect as she held up the small slice of paper that had been inside the cookie. "You will discover your hidden talents…in bed. See? See how easy it is?"

"Still, I'd rather not risk it," he smirked.

"Oooo! You make me so mad, Edward Cullen! Or should I just call you Ed Ward?" She fisted her hands into little balls and banged them lightly on the table as he grinned a crooked little grin at her. "You know, that grin there, that's a Grinch grin."

"Oh, is it? I wasn't aware," he smirked.

"Yeah, it is. It's evil…like you," she growled at him. "Forget it. Just…just forget it. I don't want to know your fortune anyway. It's probably a sucky fortune. Sucky, like you." She folded her arms across her chest and bit on her lower lip, turning her face away from him.

"It's killing you, isn't it?" His green eyes danced in the dim light of the Chinese restaurant.

"What's killing me?" She didn't turn to look at him.

"That I won't tell you my fortune."

"I told you. I don't care about your shitty fortune."

"Yes you do," he giggled again.

"No, no I don't," she sniffed. "Not at all."

"Oh, yes you do," he giggled some more. She hated when he giggled. It was the single most adorable sound on the planet and she couldn't be angry with him if he was giggling.

"Edward, stop giggling! I can't be mad at you when you giggle!" She sounded exasperated, but the more he giggled, the harder it was for her not to smile at him. "Oh, just forget it," she smiled and threw her arms around his neck, planting a quick, light kiss on his soft, full lips.

He stopped giggling, and smiled. "I don't care what you say. I'm still not telling you what my fortune says."

"Oh my God! Ed Ward Cullen, you are absurd!" She rolled her eyes as he looked at the check and took a few bills out of his wallet.

He stood up and helped her on with her jacket. "Not. Gonna. Tell," he smirked as she whipped her hair around hoping to hit him in the face with it, orange stripes glinting in the dim lighting.

"You are impossible," she grumbled, walking out of the restaurant ahead of his grinning self. "And wipe that grin off your face. You look like some sort of psychotic Cheshire cat."

He opened the passenger's side door of the Volvo for her. "I'm perfectly capable of opening my own door, Edward!" Somewhere between the door of The White Lotus and the door of the silver Volvo, her mood shifted dramatically.

"Wow, you really are pissed!" He slid into the drivers seat and fastened his seat belt, glancing over at her as he did. She sat with her arms folded across her chest, looking out the side window, ignoring him. He started the car. "Bella?"

"Damn right I'm pissed," she spat out, looking at him hard. "You're my boyfriend. We aren't supposed to have any secrets, Edward!"

He knew she was right, but he also knew that there were some very deep, dark secrets lurking about. Secrets that he knew would send her screaming away from him.

"Everyone has secrets, Bella," his voice was quiet as he drove slowly toward the center of Port Angeles.

"Why, Edward? Why do we have so many secrets?"

"I don't know Bella. Why don't you tell me some of yours?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she turned her head away from him, once more looking out the side window of the Volvo.

"You don't? Like hell you don't," he tried to hold his temper. "You never told me anything about your life back in Phoenix. Not a thing. Nothing about friends or school. And especially nothing about this mysterious boyfriend you used to have there."

"Oh, really? Well, tit for tat, Edward. You won't tell me this great secret about why you won't have sex with me. Don't you think I deserve to know why?"

Ah, the heart of the matter, he thought.

"I don't want to have sex with you, Bella," he said quietly. "I want to make love to you."

"You know what I mean, Edward. So don't go twisting it."

"So that's what this is really about, isn't it? It was never about my fortune." There was a deep sadness in his voice.

"I don't know. I just…don't know, Edward." She buried her face in her hands. "All I know is, well, that I want you like I've never wanted anyone. That I feel things when I'm with you that I've never felt before in my life. And yet, I don't know if you feel what I feel."

A silence fell over them as Edward navigated the car through the dense traffic of a Friday night in Port Angeles. They reached the multiplex and he pulled into the parking lot, turning into the first spot he saw, at the dark, empty far end of the lot. Putting the car into park and turning off the ignition, he turned to her.

"You don't know how I feel about you?" He hissed as his green eyes glowed angrily in the dim light. "I tell you that I love you, but you don't know how I feel about you? Because we haven't had sex? Is that how you measure love, Bella? Is my love not enough for you?"

"That's not what I mean," her voice was small.

"Then what do you mean, Bella? Enlighten me, please." He sat back in his seat, leaning his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"It's just that, well, I thought by now we'd…" her voice trailed off. "You know."

"You thought by now that we'd be doing it? Like everyone else? Bella, we've been over this. I thought you understood." He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes closed instead.

"I know we'd been over it, Edward. And yes, I do understand."

"You understand but yet you're dissatisfied with our relationship? What we have isn't enough?"

"No, not really. I mean, I'm not saying I'm dissatisfied. Not with us. Just with…well…the physical aspect of us," she realized she sounded selfish and petulant, but she wanted to be with him, damn it. "I want you, Edward. My body, it sings out for you. It craves you, desires your touch. It's so hard for me. I want to feel you. All of you, Edward."

He whipped around in his seat so fast that she lurched back from him, pushing herself against the door of the car. "And do you think it's any easier for me? Do you think I don't have the same desires and feelings, Bella?" His voice was a stinging hiss. "Do you think that my body doesn't call out for you? That I don't need you? That I don't revel in your every touch? Jesus Christ, Bella. I come alive when I'm with you. You don't even have to touch me! But when you touch me it's what I imagine Heaven to be like!"

"I…I…" She closed her mouth and looked down. "If that's true…then why are you denying yourself, Edward? Denying us?"

"Because I told you. I have some issues I need to resolve first. And until I do, this has to be enough." He sounded angry now, but she couldn't be sure if he was angry with her, or with himself.

"But, why can't you tell me what's wrong? Why are you hiding it from me?" She was begging now, her voice whiny like a child denied it's desires. "Why is it such a big secret?"

"Because I don't want to face it myself," he moaned as he buried his face in his hands.

"Edward," she whispered. "Edward, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." Silent tears ran down her cheeks. "I don't want to fight with you."

He didn't look up. He just kept his face buried in his hands.

"Edward, please. Please look at me."

He pulled his hands away from his face, but didn't look at her. He started the car again. "I think I should take you home, Bella."

"No," she put her hand on his hand on the gear shift. "No. We aren't done. I'm not leaving things like this. Not again."

"There's nothing to discuss, Bella." His voice was flat. Dead.

"Please, Edward. Talk to me. Why can't you talk to me?"

"Why can't you talk to me? Why is it always me who has to open up?" He turned and looked at her, the light that was always sparkling in his emerald eyes when he looked at her now gone out.

She leaned back, breathing in a ragged breath. They sat silently as the radio played Clair de Lune softly. After what seemed like a silent forever, she sighed.

"His name was James. He was the assistant manager at the Hot Topic I worked at, in the mall in Phoenix."

"This the boyfriend you left behind?" His voice was impassive.

"No, I broke up with him before I moved here," she looked down at her hands. "Well, that's not entirely true. Anyway, I was fifteen when I started working there, and I worked most of my shifts with him. He had long blonde hair that he wore pulled back. Wore a lot of leather. He had a lot of piercings and tats. He took me for my first tat, actually."

"How romantic," Edward snorted.

"He was older, and that was thrilling to me at the time," her voice was low, like she was in a confessional. "Renee hated him. More importantly, Phil hated him."

"How old was he?"

"Twenty two."

"Twenty two and he was dating a fifteen year old?" He shook his head.

"N-no, we didn't start dating until I was sixteen," her voice shook.

"How comforting," his voice was sarcastic.

"Edward, please. You wanted me to share my secrets, and that's what I'm trying to do."

"I'm sorry. I'll keep quiet. Go on." He stared straight ahead of him.

"He was…well…he was my first," she looked down and picked at the hem of her short skirt.

Silence filled the car like a living, breathing entity. She could feel the anxiety rising higher and higher in her with every second that Edward remained silent. And he was silent for a very long time.

"Did you…" he swallowed hard when he finally spoke. "Did you love him?"

She shook her head, suddenly aware of the tears that had been falling freely from her eyes. "No," she gasped for air as she wiped the back of her hand over her cheeks. "I've never loved anyone but you."

"Then…why?"

"Why?"

He looked at her, nodding his head, his green eyes dead with defeat. "Why did you have sex with him if you didn't love him?"

She sucked in a breath. "Because…because…" her eyebrows knit together as she thought. "Because, well, all my friends were having sex with their boyfriends," she sighed. "And James was really pretty convincing."

"If all your friends jumped off the Empire State Building would you jump too?" He was staring out the front window again, voice still void of emotion.

"No, Edward, I would not," she answered more harshly than she had intended to. What kind of a question was that? "Why did you have sex your first time?"

He looked at her without seeing her. "Because I was in love."

She doubled over as if she'd been punched in the stomach, the wind knocked out of her by his verbal blow. He'd been in love before her. There had been someone who'd captured his heart before it was hers. Someone he'd kissed. Someone he'd touched. Someone he'd loved. Everything he'd felt with her, he'd felt once before. With someone else. With someone he'd made love to, something he wouldn't do with her. She turned away from him, pretending to look out the side window of the car yet again, but her eyes saw nothing but the tears that streamed from them.

He didn't look at her. He just stared straight ahead as they sat silently. Finally, after a span of time that felt longer than eternity to her, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled something out. He held his open palm out to her, an offering.

When she didn't take what he held in his hand, he again leaned his head back against the headrest, turning it to face her, and with his eyes closed, nudged her arm lightly, mumbling "Here," as he offered yet again.

She turned, tear and mascara stained cheeks flushed red, and looked at his outstretched hand.

"What's this?" Soft sobs shook her body and she avoided looking at his face.

"Take it."

She reached up and with a trembling hand took the small balled up paper from his hand. She opened it and realized it was his fortune from the restaurant. Squinting in the darkness, she read the words written on it.

A Happy Life Is Just In Front Of You

Without a word, he put the car in drive and pulled out of the lot.

~*~*~*~*~*~

They drove the entire way to Forks in silence. There was so much to be said, and yet, there was nothing that could be said at all.

Edward stopped the Volvo in front of her house, not bothering to put it in park.

She opened the door, shoulders slumped in defeat. "Goodnight, Edward."

"Night." He didn't turn to look at her.

She slammed the door closed, and dejectedly walked up to the front door. She turned to look at the car as she opened the door, but only saw it pulling away from the curb.

"Bells?" Charlie was laid out on the living room sofa, watching a hockey game on his flat screen.

"Just me, Charlie," she tried to stop her voice from shaking, but that was kind of hard, considering her entire body was trembling. She grabbed a hold of the banister and tried to steady her legs enough for the climb up to her bedroom.

"You're home early," He shifted on the sofa, and she knew he was sitting up now.

"Yeah," she managed to get up the first step.

"Everything ok?"

"Everything's fine, Charlie. Go back to the game." Her voice shook as fresh tears cascaded down from her already sore eyes.

"It doesn't sound fine, Bella," Charlie appeared in the hallway, his voice soft.

She looked up at her father, and her resolve to be brave dissolved instantly. "Oh, Charlie," she bawled as she flew to him, arms wrapping around him as she buried her face in the plaid shirt he wore. "Edward and I had a horrible fight! I think it's over," she sobbed.

Charlie wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly as he let her cry, her sobs shaking them both. "There...there," he tried to console her. "Why don't you tell me what happened. Maybe we can figure out a way to fix it," he led her into the living room, keeping a strong arm around her as he sat her down on the sofa.

"It…was…my…fault," she managed between sobs. "I…I…I push…pushed," she struggled for breath as she tried to talk through her strangled sobs.

"Hang on," he pulled the bulky black jacket off her before he got up from the sofa and made his way quietly into the kitchen, emerging a minute later with a glass of water. He knelt down in front of her. "Here, baby. Drink a little bit. It'll help." He held the glass up to her lips, as though she were a little girl again, tilting it up until she took a small sip. "Better?" She nodded. "Here…take a little bit more." He watched as she swallowed, smoothing the mussed hair away from her wet, red cheeks with his free hand. "Feeling better?"

"Y-yes," she nodded, wiping her stained cheeks with the back of her hand. Her entire body trembled and it was hard for her to take a deep breath.

Charlie sat down next to her again, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her to him. "Now, why don't you start at the beginning and tell me what this fight was about?"

"We had dinner at the White Lotus again," her voice was low, strained. "He wouldn't read his fortune out loud. Said it wouldn't come true if he did," she sniffled as she shook her head. "I pushed. And it just…" she closed her eyes as her voice trailed off. "I just made it worse and worse. Pushed him. Always pushing him. Push. Push. Push." She shook her head and looked down. "And, finally, he…he just snapped."

"Sweetie, I doubt Edward would break up with you over a fortune," Charlie rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

"The fortune was just the start of it. I pushed it into his issues and why he's keeping them a secret," she sighed and buried her face in her hands. "And do you want to know the worst part?" She looked at her father, and her face tore his heart to shreds.

"What's the worst part, Bells?"

She fumbled with the jacket that was crumpled around her on the sofa, feeling around in the pockets until she came up with the little balled up paper. "This. This is the worst part."

Charlie looked at her as he took the shard of paper from her. He opened it up, smoothing it out carefully as he read it.

A Happy Life Is Just In Front Of You

"He was right. His fortune won't come true now," she sobbed into Charlie's shirt as he tightened his arms around her.

Charlie held her until her sobs stopped, rubbing her back gently. "Hey," he finally broke the strained silence. "I have an idea. Why don't you take one of those nice soothing bubble baths I hear so much about? Hmm?"

"Why would I do that?"

"It'll help to relax you." He continued rubbing her back.

"But I don't have any bubble bath," she whined.

"Oh, but you do. Remember that basket I got for you when you came? It had bubble bath in it. It's in the bathroom," he smiled and kissed the top of her head. He'd been so excited that she was coming to live with him that he'd gone to some fancy store in Port Angeles that sold all sorts of girly bath products and bought the biggest gift basket they had for her. He thought the pampering would be something she'd enjoy. Instead, it was something he was suggesting to help her relax and forget her fight with her boyfriend.

"Yeah?" She pulled her head away from his chest and looked at him, a half hearted smile on her lips.

"Yeah," he smiled at her.

"You're really a thoughtful man, Charlie." Her eyes were red and swollen.

"Hey, you're my one and only. Gotta take good care of you," he pressed his lips to the top of her head lovingly.

~*~*~*~*~*~

An impassioned melody wafted up to the third floor, and Carlisle followed it down and into the living room.

Edward sat at the baby grand piano in the dark room, pounding wildly on the keys, playing the notes with a mad passion as Carlisle recognized Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in G Minor. He watched as his son's nimble fingers flew furiously across the delicate keys, head violently bobbing up and down, wayward copper hair flying around his head. He looked like a beautiful mad man.

Then, as abruptly as the music had begun, it ended, with Edward jumping up from the bench so suddenly that the bench toppled over backward. His hands twisted into his hair, tugging on it hard as he began it pace around in a small circle, completely unaware that his father stood in the doorway watching him. Carlisle watched quietly as Edward circled around three or four more times before dropping to his knees and burying his face in his hands, body quaking with silent sobs.

"Edward…what is it?" He stepped forward, reaching out to his devastated child.

Edward didn't answer, instead rocking back and forth on his knees as he cried into his hands.

"Edward," Carlisle knelt on the floor beside him. "Edward, talk to me," he put his hand on his son's shoulder, and Edward crumbled into his father's arms, sobbing.

"It's over, Dad," he whispered through his tears. "Over."

"You mean you and Bella?" Carlisle ran his fingers through his shattered son's hair. It had been years since he'd comforted his child like this, and it made him think back to Edward's first night with them, how Esme had lovingly rocked the scared child through the night. This was what parenthood was.

"It's not enough for her," he sat up. "Why can't it be enough? Why can't I be enough? Just for now? What's wrong with me?" He looked into Carlisle's eyes, begging for an answer.

"Dad?" Jasper appeared in the doorway, arm still slung at an awkward angle. "Should I get Mom?"

Carlisle nodded as he knelt on the floor, rocking Edward, holding his trembling body tightly as he watched Jasper sprint up the stairs.

"Why isn't it enough, Dad? Why?" He repeated over and over until Esme appeared in the living room, face serene as she moved toward her wounded son.

"Edward? Edward, baby, what's wrong?"

"Mom! Oh, Mom!" He sobbed as he reached his arms out to his mother like a little boy begging to be picked up, tears blurring his vision as Esme scooped him into her arms and hugged him to her chest tightly, folding herself down on the floor next to her husband.

"Baby, it's ok. It's ok sweetheart," she ran her fingers through his hair, kissing his forehead tenderly as she crooned to him. She rocked him slowly as he cried. "It's ok, my angel. It's ok. Mommy's here now." Soon his sobs gave way to silent tears and his breathing slowed.

"Now, why don't you tell Mommy what got you so upset, sweetie?" Her voice was low and soothing.

"It's over, Mom," his voice was raspy from crying. "Bella and me."

"Did you have a fight, love?"

"No," he sighed. "I'm just not enough for her. I can't give her what she wants."

"Don't be silly, baby. Bella wants you," she ran her fingers through his hair.

"But I can't give her what she wants." His voice hiccupped as he tried to catch his breath.

"Edward, sweetness, have you explained that to her?" She crooked a finger under his chin, tilting his face up to her. "You haven't, have you?"

His brow furrowed. "No. I…I can't. I just can't, Mom," he avoided Esme's gaze.

"If she does love you, she'll understand, Edward," she looked lovingly at her son.

"She doesn't understand, Mom," he shook his head.

"She can't understand something you haven't explained, Edward," Carlisle's voice was soft, and Edward realized that he'd been holding his father's hand in a vice like grip the entire time. "What you're asking for is nearly impossible," he continued. "You're asking for a tremendous leap of faith, son."

"Love is a funny thing, Edward," Esme smoothed the hair away from his face. "I don't have to tell you that. Sometimes, you don't have to say a word. Other times, you need to spell it out in big, giant letters. This is one of those things you need to spell out, love."

"You need to go to her and explain everything, Edward," Carlisle squeezed Edward's hand. "You need to lay it all out."

"And, then, if she still doesn't understand, if she still pushes? Well, then she must not really love you," she smiled as she looked lovingly into her son's green eyes.

"Are…are you sure?" He sat up between his parents and rubbed his hands over his eyes.

"Positive, angel," Esme ran her fingers down his puffy red cheek. "Go wash your face, my beautiful boy."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Charlie had been right. After a nice, long soak in a warm bathtub filled with fragrant bubbles, she did feel better. She had relaxed and thought things out. No, things with Edward were far from over. She would prove to him that he was enough, that she didn't need more than his love. She would show him that her love was far better than any love he'd had before. She would make him see that they were made for each other. And she wouldn't push him. She was done pushing him.

She stepped out of the tub and toweled herself off, feeling much more optimistic about things than she had felt when she'd stepped into the tub. She shimmied into a pair of soft black flannel pajama pants with little white skull and crossbones printed on them, and yanked a black long sleeved thermal tshirt over her head.

She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and sighed. Her eyes were red and puffy, a stinging reminder of her earlier tears. She had washed all her makeup off and looked like death with her pale, sunken cheeks. She pulled her hair back into a pony tail and headed to her bedroom, anxious to check her cell phone to see if Edward had tried to contact her. She hoped he had, being honest with herself, she doubted he would have. And with the newly found clarity that her relaxing bubble bath had given her, understood why he wouldn't. She knew that, even if he hadn't made the first move, she would just send him a text saying she was sorry and that she loved him. She would always love him, no matter what.

She sighed and flipped off the bathroom light as she walked out, making her way down the darkened hallway to her bedroom. She opened her door and flipped on the light. Her breath caught in her throat as she gasped, throwing her hand up in front of her

mouth.

Edward's green eyes glared at her from the rocking chair in the corner of her room…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hmmm...Edward has a secret...wonder what it is...and Bella's a pushy broad, isn't she? And, yowza...James should be in jail!

I hope you enjoyed it...please review and let me know what you think!