Moonlight in Forks

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Break Up

Jacob carried Bella home in his arms, she must have fallen asleep on the way, because when she woke up, she was in her own bed and the dull light coming through the windows slanted at a strange angle.

Almost like it was afternoon.

Bella sat up abruptly, her long, brunette hair falling in a tangle around her face. She couldn't believe she had slept so long. She looked around the room blearily, searching for Jacob.

"Jake?" She mumbled.

Her seeking fingers searched for something warm but instead encountered something cool and smooth instead. She snatched her hand back, now very wide awake.

"Edward, what are you doing here?"

"I came to be with you." Edward murmured, coming out of the shadows.

"Where's Jake?" Bella demanded again.

Edward grimaced as soon as she said Jacob's name. "The wolf boy left a few minutes ago." He told her. "Charlie came home and came to check on you, so he went out of the window and climbed down the tree."

Bella frowned, pushing her hair out of her face. "Just because he had to leave doesn't mean it was permission for you to come into my room uninvited."

Edward's eyes hardened. "He left you unprotected." He said harshly.

"It's the middle of the day!" Bella retorted. "And Charlie's at home. I'm perfectly safe, Edward. You should go. I want to get up and have a shower."

"Bella, he left you alone!" Edward persisted. "I cannot tolerate that."

"I'm sure the other wolves on their way. For goodness' sake, Edward, we know Victoria's plans. I highly doubt she is going to change them all at the last minute. Now, will you please give me some space so I can get ready?"

"Fine." Edward's mouth was a thin line as he retreated toward the window. "But I will not be far away." He warned before taking his leave.

After her shower Bella wandered downstairs to find Charlie in the kitchen. He looked tired, but he mustered up a smile for her. "Enjoy your lie in?"

"Sorry…I didn't realize I overslept." Bella apologized.

"Don't be sorry, kiddo. You deserve a lie in after all your hard work recently."

"Can I get you anything to eat?" Bella offered instead.

"No, I think I might take a nap myself. It was a long night." Charlie yawned to emphasize his point. "We'll have a catch up later, Bells."

"Okay." Bella watched him slope off toward the stairs. That was another discussion she was going to have with Jacob later. What to do about Charlie on the big day? Maybe between them they could come up with something to keep her father safely in La Push for the day.

Bella dug around in the cupboards and pulled out some pop tarts, deciding to keep it simple. She sat down with her impromptu breakfast, feeling uncomfortable and awkward, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "Edward?" She said aloud.

"I'm here." Edward moved out of the shadows where he had been watching.

"When you said you wouldn't be far away, I didn't expect you to be in the same room." Bella whispered harshly, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb Charlie. She could hear her father moving around upstairs as he prepared to take a nap in his room.

Edward sat down next to her. Bella had suddenly lost her appetite. She shoved her plate away and sat back in her chair. She was really going to have to do something about him now. She had been intending to wait until Saturday was out of the way, she didn't want him distracted while he was fighting the newborns, but things had escalated, they couldn't carry on like this anymore.

"Bella, you should eat." As always Edward was unaware of the thoughts going through her head. He pushed the plate of uneaten pop tarts back toward her.

"I'm not hungry."

"You need to keep your strength up."

"Edward!" Bella failed to hide the irritability in her voice. Edward stilled, his eyes drifting to her hands, which were balled into fists in her lap. "We need to talk."

Edward tried to read the expression in her eyes. For Jacob it would be plain to see, but for him, it was like Bella's emotions were hidden behind a fogged screen. "Yes, we should talk." He agreed cautiously.

Bella deliberated for a moment. "Right. Good. That's good. But not here. Charlie could come down at any moment. And I don't want any interruptions."

Edward's eyes tightened with worry. He knew this was serious. "If that's what you want. Why don't I take you back to mine? You haven't been there in quite a while."

Bella wasn't sure this was a good idea, but couldn't think of a better alternative place to have the conversation. "Okay. Yes, we'll go to your place."

"Right."

"And, Edward?" Bella said again. "You promise to listen to what I have to say? I mean really listen."

Edward blinked in surprise. "Don't I always, my love." He replied without any irony at all.

It was late afternoon going into evening when they reached the Cullens mansion. In spite of the oncoming gloom of night, the meadow was bright in the light shining from every window.

Bella had insisted on driving in her own truck, it meant she had her own transportation when it came time for her leave. She didn't intend to stay long after their conversation.

Edward sat in the passenger seat, fighting his impatience at the slow pace of the old Chevy. Bella was surprised he hadn't insisted on taking the wheel, it seemed he was trying to make a huge effort to be as accommodating to her wishes as possible. It made Bella wonder if her knew what was coming, surely, he must, her recent behavior must have given him every indication that their relationship was in trouble.

As soon as Bella cut the engine he was at her door, opening it for her. He lifted her from the cab with one arm before she could utter one protest. His lips found hers as she heard him kick the truck's door shut behind her. Bella had no choice but to tolerate the kiss, having no way to fight him off, she forgot to breathe.

Without breaking the kiss, Edward swung her up so that she was cradled in his arms and carried her into the house.

Was the front door already open? Bella didn't know. They were inside now, though, and she was dizzy, in danger of passing out. She had to remind herself to breathe.

This kissing disturbed her. It was like she could feel his fear and panic leaking through his control. He had to sense what was coming, and he was fighting it all the way, trying to pretend everything was normal. He continued to kiss Bella for several minutes, standing in the entryway. All the while, she remained still, not responding, shutting down until it was over.

All of Bella's cautious optimism that she would be able to just say her piece and go faded away.

With a forced chuckle, Edward pulled away, holding her at arm's length. Despite his best efforts to hide his true feelings, desperation reeked off him.

"Welcome home." He declared theatrically.

Bella tried to keep her cool as she struggled to compose herself. "Can you put me down now, please?"

"Okay." Edward set her gently on her feet. "Let's go to my room."

"No, Edward, I would rather stay down here."

"Oh, but I have something for you. A gift." Edward kept his tone conversational.

"Edward, you know I don't like gifts." Bella felt her frustration creeping in. Not only had he come into her room without consent, he had kissed her without her consent too. And now he was trying to foist an unnecessary gift on her-it was too much.

"Everyone else is able to get away with giving you things. Everyone but me. I would have loved to get you a graduation present, but I didn't. I knew it would have upset you more than if anyone else did. I don't understand it. Even Jacob Black can give you presents and you don't make any protests."

"That's different."

"Why is different, Bella? How do you explain yourself?"

Bella felt an intense weariness overcome her. There was going to no easy way to say what she needed to say. Any hope that he was willing to listen, to really hear what she had to say, were gone, like ashes in the wind. She was going to have to be blunt, no matter how much it might hurt him.

"It's not going to work, Edward."

"What isn't?"

He actually sounded genuinely confused and that made Bella sad.

"I can't do this anymore. Us. You and me. Its not working. It hasn't for a long time. I tried. In the beginning, when you came back, I really tried." Bella admitted. "I'm breaking up with you."

"You're breaking up with me?" Edward repeated slowly, as if the words were having trouble sinking in. "But why?"

"Its different. I'm different. I am not the same person I was when you went away."

"I apologized for that. You said you understood. You said that you had forgiven me."

"Like I said. I tried." Bella looked up at his angelic face with a heavy heart. She tried to explain herself better, to be more eloquent. "Perhaps this breakup is the only way I can rediscover who I am, the me that is purely myself. I had these dreams, Edward. I had these amazing technicolor dreams that I needed to make into some kind of reality for others... and for me too. Your dreams are so very different and so together everything becomes muted and confused, we morphed into some terrible compromise instead of supporting each other as brilliant and vivid individuals with passion and drive. We need to move on, for both our sakes." She reached up and touched his cold cheek in a last farewell to their relationship. "I have to go now. I wish you well, Edward. I really do. And I hope that one day we can move forward as friends."

Even though Edward no longer had an actual beating heart, it was like Bella could see its metaphorical twin shatter right before her eyes. The magnitude of his grief was painful to witness, his hurt and despair bled through his eyes, the raw pain chilling her very soul.

Guilt swamped her. She leaned into Edward, ducking her head under his arm and cuddling into his side, in an attempt to offer him a modicum of comfort. It felt similar to snuggling with Michelangelo's David, a perfect marble statue, who wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"Please, Bella, let's talk about this some more. We can work this out. I know we can." He hesitated a moment, squeezing his eyes shut, his cold cheek pressing down into her hair. "I love you. I cannot exist without you."

"You did before. And you will again." Bella eased herself out of his embrace. "You will find love again, Edward. I promise. You just need to open yourself up to the possibility."

"Impossible." Edward denied. He looked completely devastated. He was silent for a minute, his eyes like liquid gold as he pondered her last words. "Is that what you've done?" He whispered. "Found love again?"

Bella stepped away from him. Now wasn't the time for that conversation. "I must go. Goodbye, Edward." She said with finality as she moved toward the front door, only to find it locked.

A/N-thanks for reading!