Hey everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend! I had almost finished this chapter yesterday but I was not in the mood for doing anything and I didn't want to write it just for finishing it! I wanted to do my best in this chapter so I grabbed a good sleep and finished it today!

I'm sorry for the delay I know I'd promised an update on Sunday but I'm only one day late (it's midnight here so with the time difference is still Monday for you :P)

Enjoy! See you at the bottom!

Chapter 17

EPOV

I woke up early this morning, my body stiff from the position I'd slept in. As I stood up I noticed that I was still wearing the same clothes from last night and that Jake was sleeping in the bed right next to me. He must have come hours after I fell asleep because I hadn't even notice he was there. I left Jake sleeping and went to the bathroom to have a quick shower and put some clean clothes on.

Outside it was falling a heavy rain indicating that autumn was here for good. I went back to bed and poked Jake on the shoulder to wake him up. He just groaned and changed side.

"Jake! Come on, wake up. I should get to school and you have to drive back to La Push." I told him but it had no effect on him. He was a heavy sleeper.

"Jacob, wake up! You'll be late for school!" I yelled but occured nothing to him.

"Jake, Bella tried to kill herself last night!" I faked screaming and with that Jake was instantly awake running for the door.

"Hey, don't panic! I was just joking! Sit down!" I said trying not to laugh at his worried expression.

"What the hell Edward! I was scared to death! Do not ever do this to me again!" he told me breathing heavily, running his fingers though his messy hair.

"Alright, I was just trying to wake you up. Not an easy task if you ask me." I said reaching for a comfy and warm sweater.

"I was just tired. Bella stopped crying around midnight and I came here around two in the morning. I haven't even grabbed a proper eight hours sleep. I'm a wreck!" he said putting his shoes on and yawning loudly.

When we went downstairs we found mum and Alice making breakfast in the kitchen.

"Mm…I smell coffee!" I said and went straight to the coffee machine. I was in dire need of caffeine. I put a big mug for me and one for Jake.

"Good morning!" mum told us the moment she saw us.

"Good morning Esme. Thanks Edward." Jake said and took the mug I offered. He then went near Alice and I heard them whispering about Bella. Alice told Jake that she was better and she was going to meet Adrian this morning.

I left them talk in private and went to sit near my mother on the table.

"Where's dad?" I asked her sipping my coffee and trying to take my mind away from Bella.

"He had an urgent call from the hospital in the middle of the night. Being the only surgeon in town carries a lot of responsibility." She informed me and a warm smile lit her face.

Dad loved his job and agreed to take his place back in the local hospital without second thought. He also loved my mother too much to refuse her anything so he just took the extra shifts in the hospital without complaining. We didn't see him much but it's for the best.

Mum on the other hand, who was an architect and an interior designer had more difficulties on finding a job here. She does an excellent job and now she works from home and visits Seattle twice a month, or more if needed, where the main company is located.

We have fax machines working and beeping and two different phone lines along with the necessary voice machines. It's a good thing we have our mother in the house all day but she is under a lot of pressure spending most of her day behind piles of papers and house's plans in her office. I suppose we cannot have everything in life.

While I was finishing with my breakfast Bella entered the kitchen. She looked rather exhausted and her eyes were still red from the hours she'd been crying last night despite the light make up she'd put on. Apart from that she looked quite calm and seemed to have the situation under control.

She was dressed in jeans and a red hoodie with white letters saying Newport. I knew it belonged to Alice because we'd brought it together last autumn. I liked that colour on her, it make her look less pale.

"Good morning." She said and went to sit with Alice.

"Good morning Bella. You look better today…" Mum started but at that moment one of her many cell phones rang and she blow us all a kiss before leaving the room talking rapidly on the phone.

"How are you feeling?" I asked hesitantly.

She looked up at me, "Good." and said flatly to me.

Thank God, Jake broke the awkward silence sensing my discomfort.

"Sooo…I got to go unless I want to be late for school. I'm glad you're feeling better Bells. I'll see you later, right? Call me whatever you need 'kay?" he asked getting up and putting his jacket on.

"Sure, thanks Jake." Jake kissed her on the cheek waved goodbye and left, leaving the three of us alone.

We remained in silence for a little while and if it wasn't school I could be sitting here all day long just watching her. I was sitting there watching her eating and noticing every one of her movements. The way her lips moved and the way she was playing with her hair…

"Edward we got to go, it's late." Alice's ringing voice brought me back to reality.

"What? Oh yeah, let's go." I sat up and grabbed my keys and Alice wore her warm coat but I noticed that Bella hadn't move.

"Come on, aren't you coming?" I asked her.

"Oh no…you go. I'm ditching school today." She told me and I saw that she was fidgeting, like she was uncomfortable with the whole subject. And then it struck me! She was going to say goodbye to Adrian this morning.

"Oh…okay then, come on Alice. See you later Bella."

I had almost made it to the door but I heard her voice calling me and stopped on my tracks.

"Yes Bella?" it was the first time she spoke directly to me for days.

"Edward, before you go… I was wondering… last night, I mean, you know when you found me outside…" she paused a little and I knew it must be hard to talk about it. I also dreaded the kind of question she was going to ask but I was going to answer no matter what.

She had come closer and she was standing right in front of me looking down at her hands and biting her bottom lip. Maybe I am a jerk for thinking like that but I found that rather sexy.

"It's nothing I was just wondering where did you go…I mean I know it's a personal question you don't have to answer if you don't want to… just tell me if you went to see him…" she told me hesitantly and looked me in the eyes pleading me silently… oh fuck! The only question I didn't want to answer! But I wasn't going to refuse her anything so I had to suck it up.

"Yeah… I did." I answered hoping that she'll drop it there but the odds were against me. I was right obviously because a minute later I heard her saying.

"So, did you talk to him? I mean you were really furious when you left…" she muttered avoiding eye contact with me. I had to tell her the truth but I couldn't admit that I'd hit him before I didn't even let him explain first.

"Yeah… kind of…" I answered uneasily moving my weight from one foot to the other. I couldn't lie to her, she was going to meet him soon and find out about my actions by herself. Maybe it would be better if I told her the truth maybe she would be less angry if I was that honest with her.

"What do you mean kind of? What did you do Edward?" she pushed further knowing that I was hiding something.

I closed my eyes inhaling a few deep calming breaths.. I had hit her boyfriend last night and I had no right to do it. On the other hand she had every right in the world to be mad at me for that and for more other things too.

"I… punched him." I said in the end and heard Bella gasping but I was too afraid for her reaction so I was just standing there, eyes closed, waiting for all the hell to break loose.

BPOV

I woke up in a familiar room my eyes hurting because of the morning light and feeling my head heavy. The sound of the running water was coming from the bathroom so I assumed Alice was already having her shower.

I sat up on Alice's kings sized bed, rubbing my aching eyes when all the last night events came rushing back to my mind and suddenly felt the depression rising in waves and hitting me hard, instantly my eyes filling with tears.

I took several deep breaths calming my self down and wiping the tears away. Not now. It wasn't the right time for hysterics or and tones of Kleenex. This time I had to be strong.

Alice came singing out of the bathroom her hair into a pink towel and when she saw me awake a big smile lit her face.

"Good morning sleepy head!" she said in a sing song tone flopping into the bed beside me.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked in the same light tone but I could she worry in her beautiful green eyes.

"I'm better… I think. I can manage…at least for today." Right now it was the most honest answer I could give. I would try and made it easier for both of us today but the hard part was coming tomorrow when he would be gone.

"That's good. One step at a time Bella and you know that I'll be here for you this time. We'll go through this together." She told me hugging me tight. It was so comforting to have her by my side and maybe that was one reason I was feeling stronger and determined.

"Thank you Alice." It was the only thing I could say, the only thing it resembled my feelings, I was grateful I had her.

I remained in bed for a bit longer watching her dressing up and blowing her hair dry and then applying some make up. I had one more hour till I was meeting Adrian so I took advantage of that to spend more time under the warm covers.

Alice had somehow persuaded Carlisle to give me a fake permission to send to school saying that I had to spend the day at home because of a gastric flu. I was just ditching school properly!

"It's quite cold outside you cannot wear that top, you'll freeze the moment you step out of the house." she told me while she was rummaging through the clothes in her wardrobe.

She was right I could here the rain hitting her bedroom windows and I could see the high trees of the forest moving frantically because of the strong wind. My light lacy top that I'd been wearing last night was completely out of question.

"Here take these, they'll do the job." She said throwing me a tank top and a warm red hoodie.

"Thanks. I'll have a shower first." I said stepping out of the warm bed and heading for the bathroom.

"Sure I'll meet you downstairs." She said stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her, giving me my space.

The hot water helped my tense muscles relax and I remained in the shower for some time. Images of last night came running into my head and I let some tears to escape my eyes despite my decision to stay strong.

*Flashback*
"What do you mean you're leaving? Why now? I don't understand… please don't leave me." I said to him through my sobs. I couldn't grasp the meaning of his words I just wasn't able to accept the fact that he was about to leave Forks for good… to leave now that was the first time in my life when everything seemed to be right.

He took my hands in his and leaned his forehead closer so it was touching mine.

"You have to understand Bella… it's not my decision… you know I would never hurt you like that… you know that right?" he asked me worried. I just nodded unable to find the words to answer. He brought his finger to my chin and made me look at him.

His eyes were wet and I knew he was on the verge of tears too but he was trying to be strong.

"I tried many times to tell you but I couldn't… I was such a coward. I hoped that something would change and all our plans would be cancelled so we would stay here but I was wrong. I thought that avoiding telling you it made it less real… I was afraid of the words I was desperate to have some more moments with you without the knowledge that they would be hour last here together. It would spoil them and I just wanted them to be perfect for you." he said closing his blue eyes and taking deep breaths.

He was feeling guilty for hurting me but I knew it wasn't his fault, it has no reason to blame himself.

"Don't think like that please. Just hold me okay? That's all I'm asking for… I just need you to hold me…" I whispered, hot new tears running down my cheeks.

He brought me closer and held me in his warm embrace for hours. We didn't have to talk anymore, the words had no meaning, we just let our feelings out and the tears flow...
*End of Flashback*

I stepped out of the shower and rapped a thick towel around my shivering body. I looked my reflection at the mirror and I saw that my face was in a really bad state.

When the time came to leave his home yesterday it was the hardest part so far because it made the separation more real. I insisted on letting me walk myself home so the night breeze would help me clear my mind but I had no purpose on returning home.

The moment I took the last turn on the road and Adrian was out of sight I started crying harder than ever. My feet brought me of their own accord on the Cullen's house where I knew I would found Alice to comfort me.

Unfortunately it was Edward who opened the door before I could ring the bell. At first he looked surprised on finding me there but then he studied me better and instantly knew that something was wrong.

I was very upset and really tired of explaining the whole situation to him and I just told him Adrian's name to give him understand that it was something between me and him but that made him angry and he just run off without an other word.

Surprisingly Jake was there to pick up Edward as I learned afterwards so he helped me inside the house and up to Alice's room. They both listened to me patiently as I was explaining what had happened and they spend the night by my side speaking words of comfort until I finally drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

I went back to the room and put on my pair of jeans and the hoodie Alice had given me. It was quite warm and comfortable and what I really needed for a day like this.

My eyes were red and puffy and I applied some concealer to hide the dark circles underneath them but it made no big difference. At least that hoodie was in the colour of blood and made my skin look less pale.

I hurried down the marble staircase and into the kitchen to find Edward, Alice, Jake and Esme taking their breakfast. Now that I was calm and not in the state I'd been last night I wanted to ask Edward about where he'd gone after he found me in the front porch. Something inside me was telling me that he went to see Adrian and I was afraid of what had happened between them.

Had he told Adrian about the time before he was gone or about my old crush on him? I had to find out before I saw Adrian.

I waited patiently until Esme was out of earshot but I hadn't much time to think again about it because he sat up and he was ready to leave for school.

It was now or never so I took a deep breath and called his name. He turned around immediately looking me straight in the eyes.

"Edward, before you go… I was wondering… last night, I mean, you know when you found me outside…" I made an attempt on asking but it was hard to remember all these so I couldn't find the right words to do this.

"It's nothing I was just wondering where did you go…I mean I know it's a personal question you don't have to answer if you don't want to… just tell me if you went to see him…" I finally asked hesitantly. It was something personal after all, maybe he had gone to see a girl or something and I only cared about Adrian.

"Yeah… I did." He answered simply not giving any further information.

"So, did you talk to him? I mean you were really furious when you left…" I pushed him for more and it didn't slip my attention that he was looking really nervous. What had he done?

"Yeah… kind of…" he trailed off. What on earth did he mean by that? Had he talked to him or not? It was a simple question and I was waiting for a simple answer.

"What do you mean kind of? What did you do Edward?" I asked again loosing my patience. He closed his eyes inhaling deeply like he was scared to tell me what he'd done or what he'd said. I was standing in front of him my arms crossed to my chest waiting for his answer.

"I… punched him." he breathed out. What? Now I knew why he didn't want to tell me. He was afraid of my reaction. The truth was that I should have been mad actually furious, I should have been kicking his ass from the moment he said these words.

But I didn't.

I had enough drama in my life already and I was in no need for more. Alice was standing in the doorway petrified by what Edward had told. If I wasn't shocked myself, I would have found her expression more than amusing.

"Edward, open your eyes." He did as I said opening them hesitantly. He was still afraid that I was going to slap him right in the face.

"You're not mad?" he asked incredulously.

"No. I mean yes I am but I'm not gonna yell at you or hit you or anything like that. I know you are immature and what you've done was far from stupid. You had no right to do that! I'm just very, very disappointed."

"You're right I had no right to hit him but when I saw you so sad so helpless all I wanted to do was to kill that bastard who caused that no matter he was my best friend. I did it for you or so I thought because you're right I was wrong. I punched him before he even had the time to explain the situation." He was not looking at me while he was talking, I could tell he was ashamed of his actions but I had no intention on going easy on him.

Deep inside I was more than satisfied that he had done that for me and I can say I was flattered as well. Of course I preferred duelling with a mountain troll than admitting that to Edward.

"I can't believe you did that Edward!" Alice had recovered from the shock and now she was standing next to me facing Edward with an angry expression on her face.

"Leave it Alice." I said and took her by the hand, "you'll be late for school and I have to meet Adrian soon. Let's go."

We left the room leaving Edward standing like a statue in the middle of the kitchen.

Adrian came to pick me up from the Cullen's and we headed down to La Push in the First Beach. He knew I like it there and especially today that the ocean was wild and the waves were huge.

We walked along the coast for a while and I went to sit down in a big tree trunk washed up from the see. It was a really akward moment because we were both knew it was our last moments together before he had to go and I had to return home and fall into depression.

He came and sat near me putting his hands around me and resting his head in my shoulder. We were watching the foamy waves dancing on the colourful pebbles in the coast both deep in our thoughts.

"Bella, can I ask you something." He said breaking the silence.

"You can ask me whatever you want."

"If you had a chance to turn back the time would you choose not to be with me in the first place? Would you choose not to go through this pain one more time?" that was a really good question and it was also one thing I had already thought last night.

"No. I don't regret being with you Adrian. If I had that chance I would choose you again and again. These past four months my life was better than never before and you were a big part in it. I believe everything in life happens for a reason. And that is happening to make us stronger, to see how many things we can stand and how strong is what we have."

"Yes but it's also so hard for you. You have already gone through this one time and now it happens to you again. I don't want you to be sad Bella. I love you." he told me and I could see his point. He also said he loved me.

I knew he did and he had told me that several times but I wasn't ready to tell him back. I had never said to him these four words but he knew that I would when I was ready. Surprisingly I didn't feel like telling them not even now.

"It is hard but it's not the same as the last time. Actually it's completely different in so many ways. For example I still have you and I know you love me. On the other hand yesterday I felt like history was repeating itself because everyone I liked was walking away from my life." I muttered and let out a heavy sight and he instantly hugged me tighter.

I turned around facing him still in his embrace. I brought my hand up touching his face and caressing the swollen spot in his jaw where Edward had hit him.

"Does it hurt?" I asked worried.

"Not much don't worry, I deserved it anyway." He said his eyes full with remorse for hurting me.

"Don't say that." I looked at his eyes in the colour of a summer sky and felt like someone was taking away a big part from me. Adrian was that part.

He was there for me when I was still recovering and he helped me find my self and be a whole person again. I knew deep in my soul that, no matter what the time will bring and for how long we'll still be together, I will always be thankful for the moments I shared with him.

My fingers traced the lines of his soft lips whose sides turned up forming a warm smile. I smiled back at him and stayed like that for I don't know how long because I'd lost the sense of time.

After one minute or one hour had passed he leaned forward pressing his lips to mine. Our kiss was sweet and slow at first and then become urgent and passionate as we were both hungry trying to take more from the other and putting all our power to that kiss.

When I was desperate for air I broke the kiss breathing heavily and burring my face on the crook of his neck inhaling his musky scent trying to memorize it.

He rubbed my back soothingly, "I'm afraid we have to go." He whispered his voice thick with sadness.

The ride back home was laced with thick silent as we were both unable to find the right words to say. I preferred not to even say the word 'goodbye' or anything like that. I just wanted him to drive me home like it was any other day, like we were driving back from school.

I hated all the crying and screaming and the –please call me the moment you set foot on NY- thing. Hysterics was not my type. And that's how we did it. Quite and like civilized people.

When we reached my house he opened the door for me and he took me by the hand. The only unusual thing we did was to stay looking at each other for a long time before he kissed me goodbye and drove away.

I didn't need to tell him to call me the moment he landed on Kennedy airport, I knew he would.

Adrian was gone for quite some time but I hadn't moved an inch from were he'd left me. I was standing on my front porch looking at the direction his car had disappeared long ago, the strong wind hitting my face violently and with his kiss still burning on my lips.

SOOO! Adrian knows the truth and now he's gone! We have a really sad Bella and a very determined Edward! I think the odds are good enough for them but that it depends on you! Leave me a review and I'll be good or else... Adrian is coming back and he has his happily ever after with Bella! ;P

I don't know yet when I'll be able to post again because I'm planing my holidays and there are endless things I have to do this week! I promise that I'll post again one more time before I leave but I don't know exactly when will that be! So stay tuned!

Your reviews always help me write faster! ;)