Edward doesn't let me go as my tears slow, but I don't pull away either. How does he still make me feel safe? I should want nothing to do with him, but I find comfort in his arms.

Eventually I come to my senses and step back.

"You were supposed to come back."

His eyes drop to the floor. "I know."

"I had to move on."

He nods. "I wanted you to. I wanted you to find someone who wouldn't hurt you like I did because you deserve the world, Bella."

"It was good in the beginning. Jake was good to me. He healed the broken heart you left behind and I was finally happy. I thought I found my fairytale."

"I wish you had."

"Did you make love to her like you did me? Did you look into her eyes and make her feel safe? Did you hold her close and tell her she was beautiful?"

He shakes his head. "No. I was so drunk I barely remember it. I didn't say a word to her during it."

"You just fucked her."

He nods, looking ashamed. "It was the greatest mistake I ever made next to not being honest with you."

"You were a coward."

He sighs. "I was, but I couldn't come home and tell you I loved you while another woman was carrying my child."

"Did you stay with her after she lost the baby?"

"I was never with her. We had an agreement. I'd support our child and be a father, but there was no love between us."

"I'm sorry you lost your child."

Jake never wanted kids, but I craved them. If I had ever gotten pregnant and then lost it . . . I don't think that's a pain you ever get over.

He sighs. "At first it was a little bit of a relief, which made me hate myself. I had started to envision myself as a father though. And that's when the grief came over me. She and I . . . we stopped talking so I grieved alone. I threw myself into school. I still had a dream to achieve and I did it. I graduated top of my class from both premed and med school, landed a prestigious residency, took a trauma fellowship in Boston. But . . . I was alone. None of it mattered because I didn't have anyone to share it with. So, I came home."

"When?"

"About six months ago. The chief of the ER was retiring and Dad threw my name into the pool. The board hired me almost immediately."

"Are you happy?"

He shrugs. "Some days."

"You made a mistake, Edward. Don't spend forever punishing yourself for it."

"My mistake hurt you in more ways than I could have imagined. I don't say this for you to forgive me and I have no idea what kind of pain you're dealing with, but losing you was it for me. No one can ever compare."

"Please, don't say that," I say as tears fill my eyes again. "Right now it's all I can do to not fall apart everyday. I can't have your unhappiness on my conscience."

He shakes his head. "It shouldn't be. I'm sorry I said that. Please, just forget it."

"I'm about to fight for my freedom from a very powerful man—a man I think has it in him to kill me if he can't have me. That's all I can focus on right now."

He nods. "I understand. But you don't have to fight alone. We were friends before anything else. Do you remember that?"

"We grew up together. I spent more time at your house than my own because Dad worked so much. And I remember that time you beat up Mike Newton for me because he made fun of my clothes and pushed me down, skinning both of my knees."

"I punched him once. I'd hardly call that beating him up."

"You were my hero that day." I smile sadly.

"I got suspended for two days." He chuckles. "I got grounded and Rose made fun of me."

"How is Rose?"

"Eh, still my bitchy older sister. But her daughter Daphne owns my heart. I FaceTime her every chance I get."

"She's five, right?"

He nods. "She's so curious about everything. Every other word out of her mouth is why. Drives Rose and Emmett up the wall. They decided to make me the scapegoat. According to them, Uncle Edward knows everything, so she saves up all her questions for me."

"That's cute."

"You wouldn't think so if you heard some of the questions. But back to my point. Before we went and complicated everything by falling in love, we were friends."

"Our love was never a complication," I say honestly. "But yes, we were the best of friends."

"Let me be your friend again."

Before I can respond, Carlisle walks in. "Oh, I didn't realize you were here yet, Edward. Sorry, I'm a little behind today."

"Yeah, I heard you all got wasted. There's coffee. Bella made it."

"There's a reason you're my favorite, Bella," Carlisle teases. "So, what were you two talking about?"

"I was just asking about her nose," Edward lies.

Carlisle rolls his eyes. "You've never been a good liar. Bella?"

"We just . . . worked out some things is all," I say.

His brow raises as he pours two cups of coffee. "Oh. Well, that's good. Give me about fifteen minutes and I'll be ready to run, Edward. Also your mom needs the Advil." He grabs the bottle from the counter and then carries the two mugs back upstairs.

"I should wake up my dad," I say, rinsing out my mug and putting it in the dishwasher. "And, um . . . I'm not sure about being friends. There are just some things you never forget and loving you . . . it's my something."

Don't own Twilight.

Thanks to my beta Fran and prereaders, May, Mary, Sarah, and Christina.