Three chaps in one day! *throws confetti everywhere* Like a boss ! Anyhoo, to everyone who has reviewed so far, thank you so much 3 I read everyone's reviews and love to know what you think. To Cullenwhitlockhottie, I promised myself I would get the third chap of the day out for you so here it is! Enjoy dear ;)

And remember, please review! I want to know your thoughts, questions, anything you have. I'll read it all.

To say Bella had been nervous about going home was an understatement. Even with Jasper's kind actions of the day, a tiny part of her expected Edward to appear around even corner. Even when Charlie came in with his patrol car with the excuse that Edward had to leave school early, she expected Edward to be trailing behind the patrol car. When Bella had finally reached her home, she was terrified at the thought of getting undressed. She searched the bathroom high and low before she locked it and undressed, turning on the shower as hot as it could go. Bella searched her own room high and low with the same fervor she searched the bathroom, finding no evidence of her ex anywhere. But that didn't mean he couldn't sneak inside later that night.

That was why Bella had armed herself with a knife from the butcher block: Charlie was the type of person who might think the missing knife was in the dishwasher and considering he had the graveyard shift and tomorrow was Friday, he would be too sleep deprived to notice such a tiny detail. So Bella slipped the knife in between her mattresses as a precaution: something to make her feel better though she knew it would do nothing against Edward.

Bella's night was stressful. She awoke at the slightest sound: wind shaking the branches of the tree next to her window, the sound of a dark barking, the wind. She awoke with her heart in her throat, one hand sweeping into the two mattresses to grip the handle of the butcher knife with a death grip. It was only until Bella had passed out from pure exhaustion in the predawn hours of the morning that she actually got any rest.

"Bella," a sensuous voice whispered in her ear and Bella yawned, attempting to roll over into a more comfortable position. "Bella." The voice was more insistent.

"Gwha," She replied in gibberish as she cracked one sleep encrusted eye open to see who it was. Her heart leaped into her throat as she realized who was before her and she tried to rear away but Edward reached out, encircling his fingers around her wrist. Trying to resist against him was trying to resist against granite.

"You weren't in school today and I was worried Bella," Edward said as he brought her wrist up to his mouth, kissing it. "Are you sick?"

His beauty dazzled her for a moment, even as her heart thudded in her chest. His eyes were the same deep topaz she could get lost in. But that didn't distract her from the sititution. "I-I'm not sick," Bella muttered, keeping her eyes downcast. She could still reach for the knife if she wanted too, but she would have to lean forward and reach between his legs to slip her free hand into the mattress to get it. And even then, Edward could still block it, due to his faster reflexes.

"Bella, I want to talk," Edward said as he brought his other hand to her cheek. It felt cold against her skin. "I love you Bella. I will always love you Bella." He stroked her thumb across her cheek. "You can never understand how deeply I feel about you."

"Edward…I want you to go now," Bella whispered, unable to keep a tremble out of her voice. "Please?"

Edward leaned in until their lips were millimeters apart. "Bella," he whispered, his voice pained. "Don't do this to me."

"Edward stop," came the whimpered reply.

"She said let her go dirt bag. Unless you're going deaf too?"

Edward's head snapped up and the two of them turned to look towards her window. Leah crouched on the branch closest to her window, a disgusted look on the beautiful woman's face. "W-What are you doing?" Bella asked, voicing Edward's thought.

Leah snorted. "The first human/vampire relationship in years suddenly breaks up and you think no one won't know anything about it?" She turned one cool gaze to Edward and stood up, hands on her hips. "Back off Popsicle Ass, before I jump through her window and shove my foot up your asshole and shift."

"Miss Clearwater, this isn't any of your business," Edward responded as civilly as he could, though even Bella could hear the strain it was taking on him.

"Like hell it is. You're about to force yourself on her! Back. Up."

It was a meeting of titans: one made of stone and stalker like passion, the other made of pure fury. The only thing keeping the two from tearing each other apart was the treaty…and Bella in his grasp. Edward let her and Bella practically flew off the bed, landing on the floor hard. She scrambled towards the window, undoing the latch and opening it wide so Leah could have access inside. Edward cast a glance, his face unreadable as he stood to his full height. "If you harm one hair on her head," he began and Leah simply grinned.

"Bella's a big girl Eddy boy," Lean crooned. "So go fuck your farm animals and go home."

His lips thinned into a straight line and he turned to look back at Bella. She shrank against his glare, practically feeling the anger radiating off him. "Call me if anything should happen," he told her and disappeared in a flash, leaving Bella disheveled, standing beside Leah.

Leah groaned. "God how did you ever put up with him? He's even worse than Jake's constant whining."

Bella bit her lip. "Um…" she trailed off, unsure of how to say this out loud. It sounded so wrong, even if it was true. Leah looked at her and raised one eyebrow, clearly waiting. "…Thank you for stopping my ex," Bella finished. The words sounded horrible: "stopping my ex" but…Bella had told him no right? She had told Edward to stop and he hadn't.

Leah smirked. "Please. To get a jab at the Ice Princess here, I would stalk his ass all day. Except that would bring me down to his level and I'm not going there." She crossed her arms over her ample chest and took a deep breath. "You're going to be placed under protection," she added.

"What?!" Bella squeaked out.

"P.R.O.T.E.C.T.I.O.N." Leah spelled out. "What it sounds." She gave a harsh laugh at Bella's shocked face. "What? You don't think just because you and Ed broke up means you can return to a normal life?"

Bella ducked her head. "I had hoped it," she admitted. "Or…at least one without Edward's heavy involvement."

Leah snorted. "If I was in your place, I would rather have a life where none of those bloodsuckers existed." She rocked back on her heels, clearly thinking. "The protection plan was going to begin now but I told them to give you a few hours to at least think about the idea of house arrest."

Bella nodded. "Thank you," she said and truly, she meant it. After all, who were the council elders to decide when she could leave her own house? "When do they need my response?"

"A few days. Friday at the latest."

Bella nodded. "And," now she grew hesitant. Edward may not be entirely out of her life, but that would leave only one other person she had to worry about. Jacob, as much of a dear friend as he was to her, was just that. And she knew how he felt about her. "Who will be patrolling the house," Bella continued. "Is anyone going to stay inside the house with me?"

Leah seemed to have caught the edge in her voice as she shook her head. "Not him," she replied. "That's like giving a recovering alcoholic a bottle of celebratory whiskey. I'll be your personal bodyguard inside the house. The boys can patrol the yard. And if the ass thinks about making a move I'll rearrange his face. Now," Leah gave Bella a look up and down. "You might want to get ready for the day. No telling when another fruitcake Cullen is coming back."

Bella nodded, her cheeks flushing as she realized she stood before Leah in just her panties and a tee shirt. She got dressed, her hands shaking only slightly from the encounter but if it affected Leah any, the beautiful woman didn't show it. Bella sighed. She envied Leah's confidence. She got dressed and turned to face Leah who had stood guard beside the door, eyeing the window with her darkened gaze. It was time to face a new day. The question was…could Bella handle any more of this madness?