Last Chapter:

I stared at this girl in amazement; she was so brave, giving up her college training to do something else. Most people wouldn't have the guts to walk away like that.

"That was brave of you," I said squeezing her hand.

"I couldn't have done it without Eli," She whispered.

Before I could say anything else, a bitter voice interrupted us from the entry way.

"So is this where you finally admit that you are in love with my husband?"

"Excuse me," Bella choked out, her spoon falling out of her hand and clattering against her bowl.

"I said, is this where you admit you are in love with Eli," Charlotte repeated.

"I don't think that this is the appropriate time to have this discussion," my mom said firmly.

"I think that it is. I think that I have the right to know if she was fucking my husband," Charlotte bit out harshly.

Bella looked to be in shock, her chest heaving up and down in exertion.

"That's enough Charlotte," I said sternly.

"Oh what, she's fucking you now too?" she turned her steely blue eyes on me.

"I said that is enough," I yelled at her, slamming my fists onto the table.

Charlotte visibly flinched. "I guess that's answer enough for me," she sneered. "Couldn't have one brother, so you settled for the other."

I felt Bella stiffen next to me and I chanced a quick glance at her. Her chocolate eyes were glassy with tears, her chin was quivering. A feeling of protectiveness washed over me stronger then I had ever felt before.

Before I had a chance to defend Bella, she stood up slowly and faced Charlotte.

"You know Charlotte, that's really rich coming from you. I'm sorry that you lost Eli, especially in your condition, but that doesn't give you the right to come in here and sling mud. I have never been in love with Eli, I never looked at him as anything other than my best friend. The fact that you can't or won't see that, just shows how self centered you are. Eli is dead," Her voice cracked and tears started sliding down her face. "And all you can do is come in her and accuse me of being in love with him and also have the audacity to imply that I am now sleeping with his brother, whom I just met today! Maybe this is how you deal with your grief, but it is unacceptable. You should apologize to everyone here, for being so damn disrespectful."

She stopped her rant for a minute and turned to face the rest of the table.

"Now if you all will excuse me, I have to go." She pushed away from the table and was out the door, pushing past a shocked Charlotte, before I could move.

"Fuck," I exclaimed loudly jumping up from my seat, with every intention of chasing after her.

"I'm so sorry," Charlotte starting blubbering from the doorway. "I just…."

"You just what, Char?" I asked condescendingly "Seriously!"

"Please Edward," she begged, walking into the room and stopping right in front of me.

"I shouldn't have said that, but you weren't there, you didn't see the two of them together."

"No I wasn't," I said coldly. "I wonder whose fault that was? I am going to go after her."

"Just let her go," Charlotte protested. "She doesn't belong here anyways."

My father finally decided to enter the conversation. "Charlotte, that's enough. Bella is welcome here, just as much as anyone else. She was very important to Eli and to act like she wasn't is a lie. So I suggest that you wrangle yourself in when she is around."

I gave my dad an appreciative look. I knew that he wasn't doing anything for me directly; but the fact that he was willing to stand up for Bella spoke to my soul.

"This is ridiculous. I can't believe that you all are taking that little slut's side in all of this," Charlotte protested loudly, she was almost vibrating with anger.

"You need to calm down, Char. It's not good for the baby to get all worked up," My dad said, walking over and leading her to a chair.

I'd had enough of her drama queen show, and I'm sure that I had missed Bella by standing here and listening to this bullshit.

"I'm going to see if I can still catch her," I said to no one in general.

"Edward," Charlotte called out as I was stepping out of the room.

"Yes," I said through gritted teeth.

"Would you please stay," she asked sweetly, turning her blue eyes on me. She gave the same face that she use to when we were younger and she wanted to get her way…it didn't work on me anymore.

"What?"

"I was hoping that we could spend some time together and catch up. I guess I thought that's what you would want."

I stared at her like she was delusional. She honestly thought that I would want to spend time with her….catching up? I rather push pins under my finger nails.

"Why would I want that?" I asked sharply.

"Well, because you know…we use to be so close," Then she had the audacity to bat her fucking eyelashes at me. I looked at my dad, trying to express my concern to him. She must be cracking. He gave me a quick nod.

"Char, why don't we get you to lay down again, you must be very tired," he asked gently, using his best doctor voice.

"Will you lay down with me Edward?" She asked, giving me a small smile.

I bit my tongue, I knew that she was acting out in grief, she had to be. No normal person would be hitting on their dead husband's brother; but then again Charlotte was never normal.

"I don't think that would be good idea," my dad filled in for me since I was stunned into silence. "Edward has things that he needs to be doing."

"Okay," she murmured. She looked exhausted. "Maybe later."

"Yes, maybe later," my dad said, his voice lulled like he was talking to a child.

I just rolled my eyes, I may feel a little bad for her, but there was no way in hell that I was going to lay down with her later.

I spun around on my heel and left the scene in the dining room behind me. I rushed to the front door and prayed that Bella was still here, even though it was very unlikely. I stepped out from under the safety of the porch into the drizzling rain. My eyes took a minute to adjust to the darkness, fuck I forgot how dark it was here. New York was never dark, not even at night. The city lights made it impossible for it to be.

Once my eyes were adjusted I quickly surveyed the cars in the driveway. I knew that the first two black sedans were my families' rentals. The huge SUV must belong to Emmett, finally my eyes rested on an old red, beat up Chevy truck. I wouldn't have guessed it was hers if she wasn't sitting in the driver's seat, shaking with sobs.

I ran through the rain and yanked her truck door open.

"Edward," she gasped out.

"Are you okay?" I asked immediately.

"I'm fine," she said through her tears.

"You look fine," I said sarcastically. "Scoot over."

"Why?"

"Because I'm getting drenched out here," I explained. No need to tell her that I just really wanted to be close to her.

"No, sorry, I meant why are you out here?" she said, not moving an inch.

"I was worried about you. Charlotte was out of line. Now scoot."

She scooted over quickly and I pulled myself up into her truck. I pulled the creaking door shut behind me.

Thankfully she had the heater going full blast; my shirt was thoroughly soaked by the impromptu shower I was just in.

"I'm sorry that she treated you that way, honey," I said pulling her shaking frame into the side of my body. She buried her head into my side.

"It's not anything that she hasn't said before," she mumbled against my shirt.

"Well it was still uncalled for, especially given the situation," I said.

"I know," she blubbered.

"Honey, please don't let it get you so upset," I said as I stroked her hair, it was the softest hair that I have ever felt, I thought to myself. "She is not worth it."

"I'm not upset because of her per say, or even what she had to say. It's just that, I thought given everything that has happened that she could act like an adult. This is the shit that upset Eli all the time. I guess it's the fact the she couldn't just drop it for a couple of days upset me. She made me feel guilty for being here, for wanting to be here," she said in a rush, her sobs picking up again.

"You have every right to be here, Bella," I said sternly "Everyone else in that room agrees with that."

"I know."

"Well then why leave?"

"This is her family, she is a Cullen and I didn't want to intrude," she said, pulling her face out of my side and looking up at me.

"Well I happen to be a Cullen too and these people are more my family, more Eli's family and we want you here. So no running away," I said, flashing a crooked smile.

She blushed suddenly, tucking her head back into my side again.

"I guess I should add no hiding to that statement, but I'm kind of enjoying you buried in my side," I joked, hoping to lighten her mood.

She pulled away from me; even in the dark I knew that her face was flaming red.

"Hey, I said I liked that," I pulled her back into my side.

"I just don't want to over step some boundaries," She said, lifting her head and looking at me.

"What boundaries?"

"You know, when I go from being your brother's best friend to being the crazy girl that won't leave your side," she said, trying to make it sound like a joke, but I knew better, she was being serious.

"Well, you are nowhere close to being crazy, you want crazy you should have stayed in the dining room,"

"Why?" She asked settling back into my side.

"Charlotte actually asked me to stay and catch up with her and then she wanted me to lay down with her. Now that is what I call crazy," I said.

"Or sad," she added.

"That too," I agreed.

"Why would she think that you would lay down with her? Does she not remember everything that she put you through?" she asked.

"I guess not or maybe she doesn't think that it was that big of a deal."

"How could she not think it was a big deal, she tore you and your brother apart because she was selfish," she said, her voice rising slightly in anger.

"She wasn't alone in her actions," I said sadly, I didn't want to talk about this right now. It was weird, part of me felt guilty for being mad at Eli still, but the other part of me, the part that hated my brother for the last ten years just couldn't let go… not yet. It was something that I was going to have to work on. Maybe it was time to go back to my therapist.

"That's true," she said thoughtfully. "But still, how could she think that you would want to spend any time with her?"

"I don't think it was me that she wanted to spend time with; I think it was my body, my face. I honestly think that she wanted to pretend that I was Eli for a while," I tried to explain what I thought was going on.

"I guess that makes sense. She must be drowning right now." Her tone was softer, almost like she was feeling bad for Char.

"I think so, thankfully my Dad took control of the situation. He talked her into lying down and resting, I just hope all of this stress doesn't hurt the baby. It's the only thing of Eli's we have left."

"I know, I was thinking the same thing. I hope that she will at least let me see the baby every once in a while. Eli was so excited about being a dad, it was all he talked about," she said sadly.

"I will make sure that you are a part of his life, I promise," I said truthfully, pulling her closer to me.

I really didn't know how I was going to hold up that promise, but I would figure it out, even if it meant talking to Charlotte.

"Thank you," She said softly.

"You're very welcome, now let's get back inside. My family is probably wondering where we are"

"Okay" she said.

I opened the creaking door and slid out. Taking her hand, I helped her out of the dry truck and into the pouring rain. We made a run for the door, holding hands and slipping and sliding through the mud. I couldn't get enough of this girl.

When we reached the porch, I stopped her from entering the door. She was standing in front of me, her chest heaving up down from running, her brown hair plastered to her head, the little make up that she had been wearing was gone and with all of that I was pretty sure that I had never seen anything so beautiful.

Before I could stop and think, I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.

Yes that is where I am leaving it. I know so mean of me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as always please review and let me know what you think!

XO-

Symphiann