A/N: Thank you for all the love. Also huge thank you to everyone who voted for me in the TwiFic Fandom Awards. I'm so grateful for the support.

EPOV is here!

Song suggestions:

The Scientist by Coldplay

Look After You by The Fray

Bella rolled beside me, her blonde hair spread across the pillow. Not even a minute later, she moved again. Whether awake or asleep, she was always restless. But more than just being unable to stay still, there was an uneasiness about her when she slept. If I didn't know any better, it seemed like she was having nightmares.

The first time Bella spent the night, she tossed and turned, whimpering a bit. I rubbed her back like I do to Bree when she's having a rough time, and it seemed to soothe her. But tonight was different. She started murmuring not long after she drifted off, and I clearly heard her cry out names in her sleep. Twice.

Jane and Alec.

It was only recently, on one of the nights that she had helped out at Bar, that she opened up a little about her family. It was nothing more than that she had an older sister, and that her parents weren't big presences in her life, but even that little bit gave me hope that she'd evidently start to feel comfortable sharing more of herself with me. Because of that, I remembered her telling me Jane was her sister's name. I had no clue who the Alec guy was, though.

I hated to admit it, but it made me a little frustrated. There were all these bits of her life that I had no clue about.

I knew I couldn't push Bella—she definitely spooked easily—so I couldn't ask her directly who the guy was or why she was calling out his name in the middle of the night. He wasn't anyone she was dating because unless she hadn't been telling me the truth, we had both confirmed we were only seeing one another.

You'd think at my age, asking someone about whether they were dating more than just you would be easy, but it wasn't. I casually tried to tell her how I wasn't seeing other people, hoping she'd clue me in on if she thought we were exclusive.

Bella hadn't confirmed the same sentiment, and it had made me jealous of whoever this other guy in her life was. I tried to brush it off with reminders that we hadn't made any promises to one another, that she was young and maybe not ready to settle down. It didn't make the green-eyed monster stay at bay when I watched her interact with the patrons at Bar. She would laugh at Jake's jokes, offer a kind smile as she rang customers up, and just exude joy. It was impossible not to be drawn to her.

I let out a sigh of relief when she put me out of my misery and told me she wasn't seeing anybody else either.

Thank goodness for that, considering I was in love with her.

I never felt this strongly about a woman I'd dated since Katie. Which maybe wasn't such a bad thing given that Bree came first, and many of the women I'd met weren't okay with this fact. It was a pleasant surprise when Bella took my mom's outburst about me being a father in stride. Her easygoing acceptance of it made me fall all the more.

It might be foolish of me to be having these thoughts so soon because yes, Bella had secrets and I was pretty sure she would lie to protect those secrets, but I knew she was not dangerous. Call it intuition. Call it wishful thinking. But it was just something that deep down I sensed to be true.

While I hadn't violated her trust by googling her, my mother did recognize her on Halloween. Classic Esme couldn't wait to grill me as soon as we were alone.

"You're pretty serious about this girl, huh?" she asked, peeling a candy wrapper and avoiding my gaze. "You haven't dated much since Katie. Are you sure about her?"

I eyed her suspiciously. "What aren't you telling me?" I leaned in to take a piece of candy from the basket she was holding, drawing her attention to me. "I know she has things she's not telling me, and I reassured her I would wait until she's ready, and I will, but if it's something I need to worry about—if Bree's safety is at risk–I need you to tell me."

I respected Bella and her privacy, but my daughter would always come first.

Mom brushed me off. "Oh, honey, no." She shook her head. "I don't think it's something that would harm her, but just be careful of your heart and definitely try to get her to open up to you soon. Things aren't always as bleak as they seem, and there are three sides to every story, so let her tell you hers. Don't mind me. I'm just a worrier. I don't know much, but if I had to guess, she's probably punishing herself more than she should."

I nodded as I ate another piece of candy, letting my mother's words sink in.

Bella's arm swung around, breaking me out of my thoughts, and I shuffled to not get hit by it.

I craned my neck to see the alarm clock on the nightstand.

5 AM.

Working at Bar all these years ruined my ability to sleep, but I'd come to terms with it. Gently, I slipped out from under the covers, trying not to disturb Bella any more than her dreams do. I'd make breakfast and give her another hour to sleep before we headed to the shelter.

I wouldn't bring up her nightmares, or the names she had called out in her sleep. I would keep following her lead. When she was ready, she'd tell me.

I hoped.

I may not have had the same insight that my mother did, but she had confirmed what I was afraid of. Bella was punishing herself—of this I was certain. All of her talk about not being good, all her worries, they clearly weighed on her. It was obvious that she didn't see herself clearly. I just had to keep being patient with her, show her through my words and actions that she was a good person, and maybe she'd finally let go of what was haunting her. There was no way whatever she did was bad enough to warrant everyone she knew dropping her like a bad habit.

The longer she held it in, the more concerned I grew that she was going to let this secret overshadow her. Overshadow us.

We could be so good together. I just hoped Bella gave us the chance.

SDSD

"You know I still can't believe you never got your license, missy." I laughed, merging into the left lane.

"Yeah." Bella breathed. She sounded a little nervous.

I glanced over at her, and she wasn't smiling. I had only been teasing—it really wasn't all that hard to believe that she didn't have a license. A lot of people who lived in the City opted for public transit—though I knew Bella had only just started to take the subway—or took cabs or had drivers, so getting a license wasn't as much of a necessity as if you lived in the suburbs or outer boroughs. She had been so quiet ever since she woke up, and I wanted to keep this day light.

I reached across the console for her hand. She had both of them clenched tightly in her lap and she was stiff as a board. This was the first time we'd ridden in a car together, and I wondered if she had some sort of aversion to driving.

I wanted to ask, but it was hard to tell which subjects were off-limits. Slowly but surely, I had been trying to identify what Bella was uncomfortable speaking about. The last thing I wanted was to trigger her flight response, to have her shut down on me when she was finally starting to open herself up.

I once made a joke about trust fund babies at the bar and then realized who I was speaking to and instantly felt bad, but she was a good sport about it.

From what Bella had told me about her finances, she was pretty well-off between her trust fund and the money she'd earned modeling. She also owned a property on the Upper East Side but for some reason was staying at the Plaza indefinitely.

I had questioned why she'd want to spend money on a hotel if she had her own place, especially with no end date in sight, but she shut the conversation down quickly, citing she had her reasons. It seemed Bella's apartment was a big trigger for her. It made me think that whatever her secret was might have to do with her brownstone.

Needing to gauge whether driving was the cause of her stiff demeanor, I pressed on. "I know driving in the city might seem daunting, but it's all about who's teaching you." I winked at her as I stopped at the red light. My pickup truck might not be the best vehicle to teach her in, though.

"Maybe one day." She sighed and looked out her window.

I squeezed her hand, wanting to support her even though I didn't know exactly what I was supporting.

Cars honked behind me, reminding me that I had to drive.

From that point forward, the car ride was pretty silent. It struck me as odd, considering this girl spoke a million miles a minute, blurting whatever went through her pretty head.

As I pulled up behind the shelter, I spotted Ms. Kebi standing outside by the loading dock, surveying the pallet stacked with boxes of food.

"Need my help carrying anything inside?" I called from behind her as I jumped out of the car.

Walking around to the passenger's side, I opened Bella's door and helped her climb down from the truck.

"Good morning to you too, handsome."

I rolled my eyes and walked with Bella over to the woman I'd known for the better part of ten years.

Ms. Kebi was a tough older woman who ran the shelter with an ironfist. Seeing people struggling to survive wasn't for the faint of heart after all.

Volunteering was something my mother instilled in me. She'd taught me that even at our lowest moments, somebody always had it worse, so we had to do whatever we could to give of ourselves to help those in need. Over the years, I'd made it a habit to take Bree at least twice a month to the shelter to help. I wanted to show her the value of hard work and how to treat others with kindness and not judgment or entitlement because of their circumstances. It wasn't all work, though. She'd also socialize with some of the children, bringing toys or art supplies to share. I didn't want her to take anything for granted.

"You can grab these two boxes." Ms. Kebi gestured to the brown boxes at her feet. "Along with whatever deliciousness you have in the bed of your truck." She laughed and looked at Bella before turning back to me with her eyebrow raised.

"Ms. Kebi, this is Bella. She's going to volunteer today." I introduced the pair.

Ms. Kebi gave Bella a once-over. Even in her casual clothing, Bella still looked too fancy for a morning of volunteering. I'd have to warn her about the petty theft that sometimes happened.

Bella outstretched her hand. "Nice to meet you," she said pleasantly.

"Glad to have you, Bella." She shook her hand and handed her an apron. "Put this on. I feel like you're getting dirty just by me looking at you."

Bella waved her off. "It's fine."

"No, you're going to need it," I insisted. Things could get messy between handling the food and cleaning tables. I slid the apron over her head and tied it at the back.

"Ready?" I asked, looking at Bella hesitantly. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, but I did think this experience would be good for her.

"As I'll ever be." She smirked as I grabbed the boxes and gestured for her to follow me inside.

We walked through the kitchen, and I greeted a few familiar faces with a hello. Setting down the boxes, I rested my hands on her shoulders as she surveyed the place. "Time to get to work, baby." I flashed her a cheeky smile, and she rolled her eyes and laughed.

Before heading into the main dining hall, I needed to warn Bella about a few things.

As she turned away from me, I grabbed her arm so she could face me once more. "Hey," I said, smiling at her.

I was grateful she came with me. When she told me she wanted to come with me to the shelter, I had to say I was shocked, but in a good way.

"Hey, yourself," she replied, pouting her lips a little. I couldn't help but give her a peck. She was teasing me after all.

I rubbed my hands up and down her arms. "I'm so glad you came with me, Bella. Truly, it means the world." I whispered as I spoke because we didn't need an audience.

She nodded while I continued. "I just want you to be careful today. Some of the people here get a little rowdy. And it's not their fault, necessarily. They've been through a lot of shit and don't really trust newbies. If anyone says anything disrespectful or, worse yet, tries to touch you, please tell me. But I don't want you to worry because I plan to be by your side the whole time, okay?" I breathed out.

Bella put a palm on my cheek. "You worry too much."

Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Look who's talking."

Taking her hand in mine, we walked through the double doors leading to the dining hall.

The shelter was still very crowded at this time. It was just before breakfast, so everybody hung around for a hot meal until most went out for the day. Some searched for jobs or places to live, but ultimately most just searched for something better than the hand they were dealt.

"Hey, Ed!" Vladimir greeted. "Who is pretty lady?" He was an older man who only had one leg and was confined to a wheelchair. He wasn't forthcoming about it, so nobody really asked him what had happened. Even though he spoke broken English that sometimes sounded like gibberish, Vlad always put everyone in good spirits.

"Vlad, my friend, this is Bella—my girlfriend and our newest helper." I added, "Don't try to steal her from me, old man."

"No promises." He huffed, rolling over to shake her hand. The flirt even kissed the back of it.

Bella was a great sport about his gallantry and leaned into him. "I don't know, Edward … I love an accent." We all got a good chuckle at her comment, the tops of Vlad's cheeks turning a rosy color at her feigned flirtation.

The rest of the morning went smoothly. While I spent lots of time mingling with some old friends, Bella made some new ones. Not once did I see a look of disgust or pity cross her face. If anything, she looked awed by everyone who she spoke to. Once breakfast time arrived, we stood side by side as we served the inhabitants of the shelter. Bella was on hashbrown duty, and I was on bacon duty.

As the line passed by, plates being filled with the most important meal of the day, everybody appeared happy to see a new friendly face. Bella seemed so comfortable, cheerful, and carefree as she doled out food and wished them well.

And all the while, I watched her, feeling so fucking proud of her. I sensed from the moment she walked through the door at Bar that Bella was different. Different from the typical Upper East Side girl who wore fancy clothes and had a boatload of money. She was so much more, and she didn't give herself enough credit.

After I cleaned up our stations a little, I walked over to Bella who was sitting with a young mom and her infant. She was listening intently to whatever the woman was saying.

"I'll definitely come back," I heard Bella promise.

The young mother stood from the bench. "I have to go nurse him. Please do, Bella."

"Look at you," I cheered once we were alone.

Bella just shrugged, her smile timid. Before I could move to sit beside her, all of a sudden, two arms circled my waist, embracing me from behind.

"Hello, stranger," a husky voice greeted as the arms tightened.

Bella's expression morphed into one of annoyance and dare I say jealousy. She narrowed her eyes to glare at the statuesque blonde who had me in her grips. Bella's arms crossed over her chest as she huffed.

I turned to see Rose standing there. I had missed her the last few weeks. She'd been job hunting and had left before breakfast so we hadn't had the chance to catch up in a while.

I gave her a sideways hug before stepping back and wrapping an arm around Bella's tense shoulders. I rubbed my hand up and down her bicep, and I felt Bella relax beside me.

"Rose, this is Bella. Remember I told you about her?"

Rose nodded and smiled. She and I had known each other for a long time. Unfortunately, even though Rose was only twenty-five, she had been in and out of the shelter for years. She'd left an abusive relationship and began living in the shelter quite some time ago. It was rough for a while, and she started to lose faith that things would get better. Eventually, she began to feel like there weren't any better options, so Rose went back to the bastard, hoping that the time apart would have caused him to change.

It was months later that I saw her again, but this time, she was sporting bruises and a black eye.

Thankfully she didn't get back with her abuser after that. But now Rose had been struggling to find a job. With no high school diploma, her options weren't great. The few petty theft charges that popped up on her background check didn't help matters either.

I offered her a job at the bar, but she was too proud and wanted to "make it" on her own.

"Nice to meet you, Bella." Rose smirked. "Edward here won't shut up about you. I can see why—you're really pretty." She was being sincere. Rose had zero poker face. What you saw was how it was.

"Aw, that's sweet. Thank you!" Bella chimed in. "But look at your cheekbones. People pay thousands for your facial structure. You don't even need any contour or makeup."

"Really?" Rose was taken aback. "Well I guess that's a good thing because I don't even know how to apply the stuff." She shrugged. Her feet shuffled, probably uncomfortable about not being able to afford makeup.

"I could help you. I love makeup. I have a few free samples I could bring you," Bella offered, her eyes glimmering excitedly.

Rose waved her off. "No you don't have to do that. You need your stuff for yourself, and you can share it with Bree. How's the little monster by the way?" She looked at me.

"She's Bree," I deadpanned. The girls laughed, but I was being serious.

The morning had gone way better than planned. I just hoped the rest of the day followed suit.

SDSD

"Edward, the people from New York magazine are here." My mother squealed in my ear and faced Bella. "Do I look all right?" she asked as she smoothed down the front of her dress and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"All right doesn't even begin to cover it. You look fabulous, and the pieces you've curated are fantastic. Very alluring and mysterious almost," Bella complimented.

My mom took Bella's hand and squeezed it. "Thank you. And thank you for being here tonight."

With that she was off to mingle with her guests. I was so happy for my mother. She deserved recognition. Her work ethic was unparalleled. I could never repay her for the sacrifices she'd made for me.

I only hoped Bree looked at me with the same level of admiration one day.

Then I'd be a happy man.

"Edward," Bella called from where she was studying a black and white painting. "Look at this one!"

Correction: right now I was a very happy man, who was getting to spend a night out with his girlfriend.

Bella and I made our way through the crowded gallery, passing by groups of people as they huddled around appreciating the different pieces curated throughout the space.

The art was resonating with people. I watched as they pointed at different aspects, peering closely to find the artist's name. A surefire way to tell a show was going well was when there were lines to see certain pieces.

Given the turnout, I was grateful for Vic agreeing to watch Bree. I'd allowed her to pop in for a few minutes before people started showing up, but I didn't want anything to take the shine off my mom's big night.

"Isabella?" a nasally voice called from behind us.

I could hear heels clacking against the marble floor. I wanted to turn around to see who was approaching, but all I could see was the look of pure terror on Bella's face.

My head jerked in the direction of the woman speaking, and I caught sight of a shorter brunette being followed closely by a bleached blonde.

Bella's eyes widened as the nasally woman and her friend got closer.

"Isabella Swan. In Brooklyn?" The other lady scoffed. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Hi Jessica," Bella muttered, her lips forming a straight line before looking at Jessica's companion. "Hi Lauren."

"Isabella, why haven't you called me back? I could have given you the names of some great publicists. You haven't done any damage control. These things follow you, you know," Lauren scolded, crossing her arms over her obviously surgically-enhanced chest.

Neither of the women's faces moved. They were frozen and plastered in an upwards motion that looked tight and uncomfortable. They couldn't have been much older than Bella so I was completely lost as to why they'd do such a thing.

I didn't know either of these women, but I sure as hell didn't like Bella's reaction to them. She had gone stock still as soon as Jessica had called her name. Her shoulders hunched the longer they were beside us, almost as if Bella was curling in on herself. Her voice had grown weaker, her words coming out mumbled. She no longer exuded the level of confidence that I loved so much about her, and I knew it was because of the two people in front of us.

I grabbed her hand for support, interlacing our fingers and squeezing.

They must have caught that motion because the brunette one, Jessica, practically purred as she spoke. "Who's this tall drink of water?"

Bella stiffened, gripping onto my hand tighter. "This is Edward, my boyfriend." She spoke a little louder and much more confidently.

"Boyfriend?" Jessica spat and laughed without humor. "What happened to Alec? I thought you were still fucking him. I ran into him a few months ago and he was looking fine as ever. He wanted to know about getting a table at Daddy's new club."

Lauren chimed in, "You know I'm surprised you're at this type of event. You and your sister didn't seem to like the art scene very much. Poor Renee. I know how much she loves these sorts of things."

Bella's breathing became heavier, almost as if she couldn't pull enough air into her lungs. She gasped for breath, and I was afraid she was going to hyperventilate.

"Jane–" Bella whispered like an empty prayer. Her body began to tremble as a sob bubbled up in her throat, cutting off the rest of her words.

"Oh I didn't mean anything by it. I was just making an observation," the bitch—Lauren—said flippantly.

Jessica nodded in agreement. "Seriously, Isabella, no need to get your panties in a twist. We all remember how Jane was." She turned to Lauren. "Lo, let's go get another drink before the Uber gets here. Nice to meet you, Edwin." She fluttered her fingers in a wave before she looped her arm through Lauren's.

Heels on the marble flooring were heard, thankfully walking away from us this time.

Moments passed, like the cars outside.

Bella was unmoving. I just stood there clutching her hand. I felt like I was holding her here. Even though she felt miles away.

"Are they gone?" Bella finally choked out, her eyes clamped shut.

I rubbed her arms up and down, trying to calm her shaking body. She looked so helpless like this. So different from the put-together facade she presented to the world. Curated like the art in this room. But it was nothing more than a front.

I turned my head to make sure her so-called "friends" had moved on. The catty women had stopped next to the refreshment table and were engrossed in their cell phones. Not even a minute later, they slipped out the front door.

"Yes, they just left," I whispered softly, not really knowing how to proceed.

It seemed that Jane was another one of her triggers.

My head was spinning as I tried to keep up with all of these potential bombs. Bella needed to tell me something. Anything. I was really getting worried. I loved her.

Sure, it was too soon and I couldn't really offer her the life she was used to. Not to mention I had Bree to consider. She had only had that brief encounter with Bella on Halloween, and I'd never introduced her to anyone I was dating before, so who knows how she'd react to this change in our dynamic. But this didn't change how I felt about Bella, how just the sight of her brought a smile to my face, and being in her presence made my day feel complete.

"Okay." Bella's small voice broke me out of my thoughts. She inhaled a deep breath and opened her eyes. They were glassy from unshed tears, probably matching my own.

This girl's agony was breaking me. I just hoped she didn't break my heart on top of it.

She cast her eyes downward with a somber look on her face.

"Baby, look at me please," I pleaded, squeezing her arm a little.

She shook her head back and forth like a petulant child.

I looked around the room, not wanting her to be ambushed any further. I made eye contact with my mother who was speaking to an art dealer she worked with from time to time.

Her eyes widened when she saw Bella and me.

"Is she okay?" she mouthed subtly, not wanting to cause a scene.

I just shook my head because the truth of the matter was none of this was okay. I gestured with my thumb to the door, signaling to her that we were going to leave. She nodded once and went back to her conversation.

With a small nudge, I shuffled Bella to the door, grabbing our coats from the rack and then made our way outside.

"Where are we going, Edward?" Bella gasped, breaking out of her trance as we were greeted by the crisp November air.

My hand was on the small of back, while I led her around the corner to where I'd parked the truck earlier.

As soon as I opened the truck door for Bella, her body collapsed into the seat as soon as I helped her climb into it.

I ran to the driver's side door and climbed into the truck.

"Can you take me to the Plaza, please?" she asked meekly.

I looked over at the girl who stole my heart and could hardly recognize her.

She seemed defeated. Bella was too vibrant and young to look as though the life had been sucked out of her. People from the high society world clearly made her feel the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

I guess I would take her to the Plaza first then pick up Bree from Vic's. Before pulling away, I shot a quick text to Vic telling her I was going to be there in about an hour.

Traffic into Manhattan was going to be a bitch. But if going back to an empty hotel room was her wish, I wasn't going to push her.

But I did have to get something off my chest. It was only fair.

"Bella, I really love … I love spending time with you. You've become someone so important in my life, far quicker than I anticipated. Only second to my daughter and my mother." Fuck it, I mentally scolded myself. "And I respect that you've been through some bad shit. But one day you're going to have to open up to somebody. Finally face whatever it is you're running from." I huffed out a breath.

I looked over at Bella and she was gazing out the window, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to fall at any moment. Her chest rose and fell quickly as if she was trying to calm herself down. I reached for her and hand for support.

"I'd like to be that person, Bella. To be your person. All you have to do is let me in." I shook my head and focused back on the traffic ahead.

My phone buzzed from where I'd set it on the console, and I glanced down when we were stopped at the red light to see that Vic had responded.

Bree's asleep. No rush.

No surprise there. Vic probably gave her bags filled with sugar and my poor kid eventually crashed.

As we started to move again, I slammed on my brakes. Some asshole decided to cut me off as I merged onto the Williamsburg Bridge. "Sorry," I muttered, apologizing to Bella for the sudden jolt.

Silence.

"She's dead."

Bella spoke so low I barely heard her at first, but the words echoed clear as day throughout the small space. I looked over at her, and tears were rolling down her cheeks.

Fuck. How I wished there was a shoulder so I could pull over. All I wanted to do was hold her. Comfort her. I wouldn't doubt Bella planned it this way. The walls I thought I was breaking down were up again.

Before I could even respond, she spoke again, this time louder as though she was trying to convince herself. "My sister is dead. Jane's dead." She let out a shaky breath. The hand I was holding was shaking. "And it's all my fault."

Fuck. I wasn't expecting that.

Her fault?

I hated that she was blaming herself when clearly it couldn't have been her fault because she was not in jail. The guilt that Bella was carrying–it was eating at her.

"Baby, I'm so sorry," I whispered.

From how she spoke about her sister, Bella really looked up to her. What a tragic loss.

No wonder she was so upset at the mention of her sister at the gallery. With "friends" like those, who needed enemies?

I wondered how Jane passed away but I wouldn't push Bella for specifics. Not when she was finally sharing.

Was this her secret? If so, what did it have to do with her or her reputation?

I was curious why she felt guilty or responsible for her death.

If Bella blamed herself, did that mean she did something to Jane accidentally?

This new information just led to more questions.

Questions that could wait. As soon as we were off of the bridge, I pulled over to the nearest parking spot and dragged her over to cradle her in my lap.

Bella sobbed and sobbed. "I can't. I can't tell—" she choked out, her body heaving against my own.

I stroked her hair. "Shh, baby it's going to be okay. I'm here. I'm here." I repeated it over and over. One could only hope she believed it.

I tightened my grasp around her, hoping I wasn't hurting her.

I didn't want to move, but I knew Vic was expecting me to pick up Bree soon. But there was no way I could leave Bella. Not like this. Not after she's been so vulnerable.

I untangled myself from Bella, still clutching her hand tightly. I pressed Vic's name on the car phone as I searched in the glove compartment for tissues.

Thankfully I stayed prepared for Bree. I pulled out a Kleenex and handed it to Bella.

"Hey Edward." Vic spoke in a hushed tone.

"Hey, how's my girl?" I asked, not taking my eyes off Bella.

"She passed out on the couch after a killer game of Candyland. You didn't tell me she cheats!" Vic laughed, and I couldn't help but smile thinking of my daughter. "Are you close? How was the gallery?"

"That she does. But no, I hate to do this, but do you think you can keep Bree for the night and I'll pick her up early tomorrow?" I asked, giving Bella a small smile.

She started shaking her head in protest. I mouthed no, in response.

"Um sure," Vic answered, sounding confused. She knew I never did this. Vic also knew I wouldn't ask unless it was important. "Everything okay?"

"It will be. I just need tonight."

"No worries. We'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

As soon as Vic hung up, Bella started shaking her head again. "Edward, I can't ask you to do this. Bree comes first. I get that. It's the way it should be."

That right there made me love her even more. It just proved how perfect she was for me.

"Bella, while any other day I would agree with you, tonight you need me more. And quite frankly, I want to be with you. I love—"

Her eyes widened at the word love.

Before I could get the words out, her lips crashed onto my own, effectively shutting me up.

Message received. Too soon to say I love you.

Even if she didn't want to hear the words, at least she knew where my head was at.

I prayed that in her own time, she'd get there too.

A/N: There you have it...a piece of Bella's story is out there. The rest of the answers are coming veryy soon! Let me know your thoughts on what happened to Jane.