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You Belong to Me Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Disclaimer: We still own nothing except the pain and suffering that we give all the characters.

Songs:

“The One That Got Away/Use Somebody” Alex Goot Feat. Chard Sugg

“Let’s Try It Again” New Kids on the Block

EPOV

When Bella came out of the operating room doors, I could feel the pain radiating from her body. I pulled her close to me, as she held on to me for dear life. I was stroking her back and I felt her hands grip the back of my shirt tightly.

Suddenly, I heard doors opening and the orderlies began to move Emily’s body away. Bella buried her head deeper into my chest to block the image from her sight.

Jacob crumbled on the ground next to his father’s wheelchair as Billy did his best to try to comfort Jacob. Emily’s parents were clinging to each other and trying their best to cope with such an unimaginable loss. No one should EVER have to bury their child. I had never lost someone I was close to other than my dearly, beloved, ear-flicking Granny Platt. She died at a ripe old age. Emily was only eighteen. Eighteen. The age that I almost died at. If I had died, I wouldn’t be here with Bella in my arms. I wouldn’t have the possibility of a second chance with her. Who lived? Who died? God definitely worked in mysterious ways.

I’m not sure how long we all stayed there trying to find and give the needed comfort that was undoubtedly out of their reach right now.

“Bella,” Jacob said with his shaky voice. “We are headed home. Are you coming?” He was fucking broken. His pain was more palpable than anyone else’s in this hallway, even Emily’s parents. He had lost his love, his future. In essence, he had just lost his entire life as he had envisioned it. I couldn’t fucking imagine how I would feel if I was in his place. Just the thought brought tears to my eyes and hurt my heart.

She lifted her head off my chest and looked at Jake without letting go of me. “Yes, Jake,” she whispered to him.

“Do any of you need a ride back?” I asked them. I knew that they had flown in from halfway across the country and wasn’t sure if they had rented a car or not. Jacob looked like he was getting ready to accept and he looked at his father who was shooting daggers my way. Before Billy could open his mouth and tell me where he likely wanted me to put my offer, Jake answered.

“Thanks for the offer, Cullen.” He looked down at his dad again. Billy simply nodded his head. “They rented a car at the airport. We will meet you there, okay?”

“Sure, sure,” I told him. Jake pushed his dad’s chair and they followed Emily’s parents towards the elevator.

Bella looked up at me again. She was so pale and I was beginning to get a little worried about her. She hadn’t slept it what seemed like forever, and food, eating for her had been nonexistent.

“Are you ready to go?” She stepped away from me and I was suddenly overwhelmed with the loss of her warm body against mine. She nodded.

“You will stay with me, right?”

“Bella, I am here for you as long as you need me.” I won’t ever be without you again. You have me forever. That’s what I wanted to tell her, but this wasn’t the time or the place for that. I reached out my hand to her, and when she took it, I was home.

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

We hadn’t been in the car long when I heard the thunderous rumbling of Bella’s stomach. She giggled and smiled, even though the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“Sorry,” she said.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” I told her. “It sounds like it’s time to feed the alien that has taken up residence in your stomach.”

“Edward, I don’t think I could eat anything at all.”

“Bella, you need to eat. Obviously your body is telling you that it wants something in it.” Oh, fuck me. That so didn’t come out right. She looked at me and cocked her eyebrows. “Food. You need food in you.”

She smiled a genuine smile at me then. “I knew what you were talking about, Edward.” She laughed a little. “I really need to get back home. I need to be with Jake and Em’s parents.” Her stomach growled a second time. It sounded like a grizzly bear.

I pulled out my cell phone and gave it to Bella. “Call Jake and tell him we are going to stop for some food. Maybe see if they would like us to bring them anything back.”

I didn’t know Oklahoma City very well. I had spent most of my time in Norman. So while Bella was on the phone with Jake, I looked at all the restaurants we were passing to see if there was anything that she might like.

I heard her sigh and she handed me the phone back.

“Jake said that they were good, but I really think we should get something for them just in case.”

“I see a pizza place up ahead. Mazzio’s, does that work for you?”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful.” Bella’s face almost lit up. “They have this Honey French dressing.” She almost moaned and that sound had me choking back a moan of my own. This was not the fucking time for me to be sporting a hard-on. “The last time Emily and I went for the all-you-can eat lunch buffet, we never thought we were going to leave because Jake kept eating pizza after pizza. Emily had just eaten one slice of pizza and a small salad. We kept taking bets of how many pieces of pizza he would have with him when he got back. She guessed right every time.”

Once she finished talking, I could see the wheels turning in her head. “Oh, God,” she whispered. I watched her throat bobbing as she choked back the tears. I had just parked the car in the lot of the restaurant and I turned and took her hands in mine.

“Bella, we can go somewhere else if this is too difficult for you, but you do need to eat something. Please,” I almost begged her.

“No, Edward. This is fine. You’re right. I need to try to eat something. Em wouldn’t want me to...” Bella’s voice trailed off and she bent her head down. I gently lifted her face with my right hand.

“It’s okay. I can’t imagine what you are going through-- losing your best friend. When you are ready, I would love for you to tell me all about her.” She nodded and her stomach made itself known again. “Time to feed you, Baby.”

We both got out of the car and when she reached my side, we clutched each other’s hands and went inside.

While she didn’t eat a lot, she did eat almost half of her salad with her favorite Honey French. I tried a bite and had to admit it was pretty damn good.

I went ahead and ordered 2 large pizzas to take back to Bella’s. I had a feeling after what I had heard of Bella’s conversation with Billy Black that he wouldn’t want anything at all to do with the food if it came from me. I had to try to do something to help them. Right now, feeding them was about the only thing that I could help them with.

When I pulled into Bella’s driveway, there weren’t any other cars except the same Volkswagen that had been there when I came over for our movie night.

“Didn’t they say they were coming back here?” I asked her.

“Yes, they did. Maybe they stopped to grab a bite to eat after all.”

I grabbed the pizzas from the backseat and walked towards the house. As we got to her door, I heard Bella take a deep, shaky breath as her keys turned the lock.

We were both surprised to see the house wasn’t empty after all. Billy was sitting at the dining room table, his elbows propped on the tabletop and his head in his hands.

“Hey, Billy,” Bella said to him. He looked up immediately after hearing her voice. “Where are Jake and Emily’s parents?”

“Jake is in his room. Said he has to be alone right now,” Billy said in a gruff voice. “Emily’s parents said they had to take care of a few things. They will be back soon.”

“Um, I brought some pizza in case you all want something to eat,” she told him. I went to set the pizzas on the counter in the kitchen, while she went down the hall and knocked on a door.

“Jake,” she told him. “Edward and I brought some pizza from Mazzio’s if you want some.” I walked behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me. She laid her head back on my chest and she put her hands on my arms. “I’m here if you want to talk or just need someone to be with you,” Bella said. She got no answer and her shoulders slumped.

“Bella, don’t let it get to you that he isn’t talking. He lost the love of his life and is doing the best he can to cope right now,” I told her. She threw her arms around my neck and held me tightly.

“Thanks so much, Edward, for being there for me, for Jake. It means the world to me.”

“You know I would do anything for you, Baby.” I kissed her forehead.

“I don’t know what to do right now,” she told me. “There is just so much that I need to do.” I noticed her reach for her shoulder and try to massage it.

“Are your muscles cramping, Bella?” I asked her.

“Yes, not too badly really. I just feel a little tight.”

“Well, you haven’t had the opportunity to relax or even get some decent sleep. Why don’t you take a hot shower. It will help your muscles loosen up and will make you feel a little more comfortable.”

“Now that you mention it, a hot shower does sound wonderful.” Was it me or did her voice almost sound seductive. Shit. This is not the time for these thoughts, Edward. I told myself. “What are you going to do? You’re not going to leave are you?”

“I’m here until you order me away, Bella. I will just chill around here and wait until you are finished.”

I followed her to her room and watched her head towards her bathroom. “I won’t be too long.”

“Take all the time you need. I’ll be here.” She grabbed some clean clothes and headed to the bathroom. It took a lot of self-restraint not to go watch her undress since she hadn’t shut the bathroom door all the way.

I sat down on her bed for a few minutes and took in my surroundings. Her room was so peaceful. She had some of the photos she had taken in frames around the room on her walls and on her bedside tables. Next to her bed was a photo of her, Emily and Jake together. I picked it up to get a closer look. They were all so happy. I saw another picture of Emily and Jake. The love they had for each other radiated from the looks they gave each other. You never knew what would happen tomorrow. Only right now was a certainty-- a certainty I would never take for granted again.

I heard the shower start running and closed my eyes. I could see Bella in all her naked glory. She had always been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Her hair would be cascading down her back towards the top of her ass. Her nipples would be hardened on her amazing breasts. Any time her breasts got wet for any reason, her nipples would perk up calling attention to themselves. I felt myself harden as I watched her movements in my mind. I adjusted my cock that was now straining against my jeans and left her room.

I walked down the hall and knocked on the door. “Jake, it’s Edward. I know that you said you want to be alone right now, but if there is something you need please let me know. I can’t imagine the pain you are feeling right now but you have so many people who love you and want to help. Just let us know what you need.”

I didn’t get an answer and started towards the living room when I heard the door open. Jake didn’t say a word as he motioned for me to enter his room.

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

BPOV

I groaned when I began to feel the hot water turn cooler on my body. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been in here, but it was long enough to run the hot water heater totally dry of hot water.

I sighed, turned the water off and reached for a towel. After I dried my body, I wrapped the towel around my hair while I got dressed. I put on a comfortable pair of knit capris and a Kings of Leon t-shirt. I used the towel to try to get as much water out as I could and decided to let my hair air dry. I didn’t have the energy or desire to do anything else with it.

When I opened my bedroom door, my heart sank. Edward was gone. As I turned to look out the window, I saw a car I didn’t recognized, which was likely the Young’s rental car. My heart calmed quickly when I saw Edward’s car was still in the drive-way.

I walked out of the room and still no Edward. Billy hadn’t moved from his spot at the dining room table. I did notice that one of the pizza boxes was gone. Maybe Billy was able to get Jake to eat something after all.

I heard a noise coming from Emily’s bedroom. When I reached the room, there were boxes laying around everywhere. Emily’s parents were haphazardly throwing each and everyone of her belongings in box after box.

I cleared my throat so they would know I was here.

“Bella,” Emily’s dad said.

“What are you doing with all of Emily’s things?”

“We can’t leave them here. Since Emily is gone, all of her things belong with us. We will have everything packed by the end of the night and have arranged for a shipping company to come and pick up everything in the morning,” her mother said in an almost harsh tone.

“There is no rush.” I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Emily yet. There were so many memories Emily and I had shared in this room-- her first time with Jake, the first time they said they loved each other. Those and many other things happened while we fiddled with Emily’s collection of decorative pillows that adorned her bed-- the pillows that were now being forced into boxes.

“She’s gone. She’s not coming back. We refuse to come back to this place ever again. If she had done what we had wanted and stayed in Washington for school, she would still be alive,” her mother told me in a tone that almost made me jump at its coldness. Those words felt like a slap to my face. Emily had always said that her parents were extremely unhappy about her independent behavior.

“Okay, I’m just going to check on Jake.” Her parents merely made grunting noises and as I made it to the hallway I leaned against the wall and took some deep breaths and tried to compose myself.

I made my way to Jake’s room and was startled when the door opened. To my surprise it wasn’t Jake who stepped out into the hallway, but Edward with red-rimmed eyes.

“How is he doing?” I asked Edward as I gently stroked his cheeks that had been tear-streaked at some point during his conversation with Jake.

“Jake’s strong. He’s coping the best he can right now. How are you?”

I stood up and whispered in his ear. “Emily’s parents are packing everything of hers. They are taking all of it home with them.” I felt tears escape my eyes and Edward brushed them away.

“I know, Baby. I’m sorry. They told Jake what they were planning on the drive from the hospital. He said they were claiming it was something related to the Native American culture and had to be taken now. Jake seemed to think it was because they were more than a little on the controlling side.”

“They didn’t even... All I wanted was one of her pillows, something of hers to keep with me, something that meant something to her and to me.”

“Ask them, Bella. All they could say is no.”

“Edward, they are such cold people. They are just throwing all of her things around like they are nothing, like they are worthless. They were something. They were important to Emily or she wouldn’t have had them to begin with. I can’t stay here while they are here. Can we, can we please just go? Somewhere? Anywhere else?”

“Of course, Baby. Let me tell Jake and then we can head out.”

I was almost jealous of Edward in that moment. He just walked into Jake’s room and I even heard Jake talk to him, but he wouldn’t talk to anyone else.

“How about we head to my place, Bella?” Edward told me after leaving Jake’s room again. “I need to get cleaned up. We also need to let our professors know that we will be going out of town for Emily’s funeral.” I hadn’t even thought of that.

“You’re right. Let me grab my laptop and my cell charger and we can head out.”

“Okay. I will wait in the living room for you,” Edward told me.

As I grabbed my laptop and shoved it and my phone charger into the bag, I decided that I should maybe take a change of clothes with me. If Emily’s parents were staying in my house tonight, I knew that it would be impossible for me to be under the same roof with them.

I grabbed a set of clean undies, my most comfy pair of extra worn jeans and a t-shirt. I grabbed a fresh hoodie out of the closet and walked to the living room where Edward was waiting for me.

“I’m ready to go.” He grabbed my bag from my shoulder. “Edward, I can carry that myself. It’s not like it’s heavy.” I laughed at him.

“Let me help you out, Bella.” I sighed. Once this new Edward got his mind set on doing something nice for you there was absolutely no talking him out of it.

He also grabbed my purse off of the table by the front door and handed it to me.

“Thanks, E,” I told him. “Billy, I am going to Edward’s. Call me if you or Jake need anything at all.” Billy looked up at me and merely nodded.

O_O_O_O_O_O

I wasn’t surprised when Edward pulled into the gated community of luxury condos near campus. We only lived about 5 minutes away from each other.

These condos were actually some of the most expensive property in the Norman area. They had just opened at the beginning of the semester. Some of these condos even cost more than my Aston Martin.

“Nice digs here, Edward.” I grinned at him as he pulled into his reserved covered parking spot.

“Well, if it weren’t for Granny Platt, I’d likely be slumming it,” he laughed.

“Oh, that’s right. Granny Platt left all you grandkids a nice little nest egg.”

Edward’s face turned into the crooked smile that I loved so much and I could see in his eyes that he was thinking about something.

“What?” I asked him and he looked at me with a cocked eyebrow. “What put that big smile on your face? You looked so far away.”

“Oh, remind me some time to tell you a story about my most recent memory of Granny Platt.” He reached up and rubbed his ear and shook his head.

“I feel like I’m missing out on a pretty funny tale here, E.”

“You have no idea, Bella. No idea at all,” he said as his voice trailed off. We got out of the car and walked to the elevators and it was no surprise that we got off on the top floor.

He opened the door and we walked into near opulence. The wooden floors were beautiful. I swear I could still smell the newness of the condo.

“Um, so welcome to my place.” Edward sounded almost shy as we entered the doorway. “My original condo was on the lower level, but once we realized I needed more room for rehab equipment, I upgraded to this larger unit even though it isn’t ground level. This floor has both of the bedrooms and the full baths. My bedroom is the one on the left and the guest bedroom is on the right,” he spoke quickly and slightly awkwardly. My heart may have fluttered just a little. He was just too damn cute for words right now. I’d never, ever seen Edward totally out of his element. He had always run the show and had been overly confident about each and every thing that he did. I was probably enjoying this moment of him being out of his element a whole hell of a lot more than he was. “Upstairs is the kitchen, living area and the dining area that we converted into a mini rehab center for me.”

I touched his arm tenderly. “Edward, it’s magnificent.”

“Let me show you the upstairs.”

He led me up the stairs to the living area. I turned a full circle taking in the sight before me. “It’s simple yet totally elegant. It is perfect for you, Edward.” If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn that he fucking blushed just a little bit. As I walked through the kitchen I was certain that I had drool coming out of my mouth. Brand new, top of the line, stainless steel appliances. Granite tops on the counters. The most incredible center piece I’d ever seen, the granite-covered island with a copper pot and pan holder that hung from the ceiling and was filled with my dream set of pans.

“I think I’m in heaven,” I mumbled. I looked over and Edward smiled the most perfect smile.

“I should have known that it would be the kitchen that would call to you,” he smirked at me.

“Don’t get any ideas, Mister,” I said to him as I playfully poked at his chest. He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine.

“There’s something else I want to show you,” he told me as he led me to a sliding glass door that he opened. He walked me out onto an incredible roof-top terrace that was filled with padded wrought iron chairs and a lounger. They surrounded a magnificent clay chiminea. There was also a stainless steel grill in the corner. We walked to the side of the terrace and I had never imagined that Norman, Oklahoma would be this beautiful at night.

“The view is gorgeous,” I told him.

“Yes, it definitely is,” Edward said as he looked directly in my eyes. In that moment, I knew that he wasn’t talking about the scenery of Norman. I shivered slightly. “Let’s get you back inside. I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold,” he whispered as his thumb gently rubbed patterns on the back of my hand, causing me to shiver again.

As we entered the living room, Edward told me, “I think it’s time for me to take my shower now. I’ve got wireless internet, so you can start contacting your professors to let them know what’s going on. Feel free to help yourself to anything. Mi casa es tu casa.”

“Thanks, Edward.” I opened my Mac and plopped down in the plush over-sized suede rocker, recliner. It was so warm and cozy I was pretty sure that I never wanted to leave it.

As I tried to connect to the internet, I noticed that it was password protected. I ran to the open area near the stairwell that looked down on the first floor. “Hey, Edward. I need your wireless password,” I yelled to him.

He came into my sight and my heart slammed into my chest rapidly. He had taken off his shirt. Fuck. Me. Hard. I wanted to lick every crevice of those chiseled abs. He paused just a moment before he answered me. I wondered if it was just so I could have a little longer enjoying the fan-fucking-tastic eye candy that he was giving me.

“It’s newbeginnings2011, all lower case letters.” He waved a small wave and was out of my sight again. That password said so much on so many levels. It was definitely one that he created himself. This was definitely a new beginning-- for both of us. I would have never expected that October 2011 could be so different from October 2010.

While my email account loaded, I pulled my cell out of my purse. I hadn’t used it since we had gotten to the hospital. The battery had totally died. I plugged my iPhone in and turned it on. I had over 100 missed calls and almost as many voicemails, most from my da---, Charlie. As far as I was concerned he was not my father. A real father wouldn’t play with the lives of their children, maneuvering them like marionettes and manipulating their children’s lives and emotions.

As I entered the 10-digits to call my real parent, my mom, I prayed that she hadn’t played a role in the restraining orders. It was not something I wanted to talk to her about on the phone. My mom was like me. She couldn’t tell a lie if her life depended on it. If I was face to face with her, I would be able to tell if she was being truthful or not. She picked up before the first ring finished.

“Oh, my baby girl. I’m so, so sorry. How are you holding up?”

“I miss her already, Mom,” I sobbed. “It is so hard for me to believe that Emily is really gone.”

“I know, Sweetie. I wish I was there to hug you and to try to make everything better. I can be on the next flight to Oklahoma. All you have to do is ask,” Mom told me.

“Her services are going to be in La Push on Wednesday. I’m going to try to book a flight for Tuesday morning. Can you please come to the funeral?” My voice quivered a little.

“Of course, I will be there.” She paused for a moment. “Your father told me he has been trying to get a hold of you since he found out about the accident. Have you talked to him yet?”

I had to force myself to be calm. Just hearing the word father pissed me off royally. “Not yet, my battery had died while I was at the hospital. I just now have had time to try to start charging it. I’ll get in touch with him soon.” Oh, I’d like to touch, Charlie. I’d like to slap the shit out of him and find out what in the hell he was thinking by lying to me and hurting me the way he did.

“Okay, Bella. You sound so tired. Get some rest, Sweetie. I’m here if you need me. Don’t hesitate to call me. I don’t care what time it is.”

“Thanks, Mom. I love you. See you Wednesday.”

“Oh, I love you too, Baby. I’ll be there.” I had barely hung up the phone and it started to ring again. It was his number. I hit ignore and turned the ringer off. I had to fight the urge to throw my phone into the wall.

I had nothing to say to him but I knew that he would keep it up all day and all night. The cop in him was just so damn persistent. I grabbed my phone and sent a text.

I’m too sad and too tired to talk right now. I need some rest and to be left alone. I will be in La Push for the funeral. A friend from school is coming with me.

I hit the send button and took some deep breaths.

It didn’t take long until he responded.

Call me as soon as you wake up. I would really like to talk to you in person so I know how you are doing. I love you.

Sure you do, Dad. I said to myself. He wouldn’t know love if it came up and bit him on his ass.

I had just sent the email to my last professor when I heard Edward’s footsteps on the stairs. I sat the laptop down and I think my chin hit the floor when I saw him as he turned the corner. He had on worn Levi’s that hung low on his hips and a skin tight white t-shirt. He was towel drying his hair and when he raised his hands above his head his shirt road up above his belly button.

I swallowed thickly as my eyes followed that well defined V that pointed straight to a part of him that I would love to reacquaint myself with. I squirmed in my seat. I could feel my core beginning to overheat and I knew that I was wet.

He sat down on the couch on the end closest to the chair I was in. He thew the towel on the floor and pointed to my laptop. “Did you get everything taken care of?” He asked me.

“Yes, I called my mom. She’s going to come from Phoenix. I found some possible flights for us but I didn’t make reservations yet because I wasn’t sure what time you could fly out on Tuesday.”

“Whatever works for you. Whenever you want to go to La Push, I will be there by your side, Bella. I’m here for you for anything. Anything you need at all.”

“Anything?” I asked him.

“Of course.” His voice was full of such certainty. I rose from the chair and stood in front of him. I began to lower myself so my knees were straddling his thighs and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Um, Be...” I attacked his mouth before I could give him a chance to protest. We moaned in each other’s mouths while our tongues were plundering deeply into each other’s mouths. While our lips continued to battle forcefully, I moved my hands from around his neck and put them at his waist. Edward’s hands moved to the small of my back gently circling above my ass.

My fingers made their way under his shirt as I began to stroke the defined muscles of his stomach. I reach up higher and my finger nails scraped gently across his nipples and he kissed me even harder. His hand began to reach slightly under my capris while his erection was anything but slight.

I started grinding against him, trying to find some release for this ache that I was feeling. His hands moved to my shoulders and down my arms. I removed my hands from under his shirt and reached for the hem of my KOL shirt and began to try to raise it over my head. Edward grabbed my hands and stopped my movements and his lips slowly stopped mating with mine.

“Bella, stop. We can’t do this.”

“You don’t want me?” I felt his rejection to the depths of my soul. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment.

His palms gently caressed my reddened cheeks. “Of course, I want you. I’ve always wanted you and I always will, Bella, but not like this. You just lost your best friend. I want you to be sure about us, that you really want this just as much as I do.”

I put my hands on his neck with my thumbs grazing his swollen lips. “Edward, life has no guarantees. We don’t know anything for certain but right now. I have no doubt at all that I want you. I want this.”

Before he could protest, I pulled my shirt over my head leaving my chest covered with my sheer pink bra. I reached back behind me to undo my bra when Edward’s lips met mine.
Our actions were just as frantic as before. Edward helped me remove my bra and his rough palms cupped my breasts and I couldn’t keep my hips still. His thumbs flicked my nipples and I shivered in pleasure. I reached to remove his shirt and we broke our kiss long enough for me to pull it over his head.

I flicked his nipples again as his lips met mine and we both moaned into each other’s mouths. My thighs tightened their hold around his hips as I tried to get his erection to hit me in just the right place. I finally found it and I began to rock back and forth against him, but I wanted, I needed so much more. My hands followed the V to the top of his jeans. I popped the buttons loose and I thanked my lucky stars that Edward had forgone wearing underwear tonight.

Edward and his cock both jerked in excitement as I wrapped my hands firmly around him. I looked at his hardened length, while my tongue darted out and then I licked my lips.

EPOV

I thought I was going to fucking die when I felt her small hands tighten their hold on my dick. I had to start citing a variety of different types of physical therapy exercises in my head to keep from cumming as her finger swept over the tip and began to massage my pre-cum around my cock.

We may both be different people from the last time we were together, but our bodies remembered each other perfectly. Our bodies were willing, ready and able to give and take as they needed.

I grabbed her by the waist and laid her down on the couch while my body covered her. When her nipples hit my chest we both moaned and pulled each other closer. Her hands moved from my cock and began to push my jeans down my hips. I kicked them away when they hit my ankles. Her fingernails dug tightly into my back as my hands found their way under her capris and towards her drenched pussy. I inserted my middle finger deep and curved it towards her g-spot as my thumb rubbed circles over her clit.

“Oh, fuck, Edward, right there!” I didn’t want her to cum without my cock buried deep inside her. This would be our last first time together. Bella was going to be mine forever. There was never going to be anyone else and I wanted to remember this moment for the rest of my life.

As I tried to remove my hand, Bella’s hand clutched my wrist. “Don’t. Stop,” she panted.

“I’m not planning on it, Baby. I want us to be together when you cum.” She grinned at me wickedly and helped me remove her capris and her sheer pink thong. We began to kiss again. As our tongues began to mimic the motions that our bodies were preparing to make, there was a loud, near deafening rumble. Suddenly, everything began to move.

“Holy shit!” I screamed. “I think we’re having an earthquake, B,” I said as I tried to pull away from her.

“You always did know how to rock my world, Edward. Fuck me, please.” She pulled me back and the trembling and sounds got worse. Bella’s laptop fell on the floor as the shaking intensified. She pushed me off her and screamed, “You’re right. We are having an earthquake!”

We both ran to the stairwell and held on until the shaking stopped. It seemed like it lasted for hours. Even when the earthquake stopped, it still felt as though we were moving.

“I can’t fucking believe it. An earthquake in Oklahoma!” Bella said.

“I know.” I turned on the TV and the news said that preliminary report from the USGS put the quake at the biggest in Oklahoma history, a 5.6 that was centered not far from Norman.

Bella came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist and her lips kissed me between my shoulder blades. I shivered as I felt her tongue caress my skin. Her hands began to lower and I grabbed them in mine and turned around to face her.

“As much as I would love to continue this and believe me with everything that I am, that I want to be buried so deep in you that I can’t even remember my name. Will you come somewhere with me please? It is really important to me, Bella. If you are in this with me for the long haul, I want you to see something that will always be a part of my life, of our lives.” I wasn’t sure how she was going to react to this and I should have shared this with her long before now.

“Of course I will,” Bella said. We got dressed our eyes never straying from each other’s. “Where are we going?” Bella asked as we got into the car.

“We’re not going far. You need to really know what you are getting yourself into if we are going to be together again.”

The community center was only about a mile from my place. I pulled into the parking lot and looked at her.

“Do you trust me?” I asked her.

“Yes, yes I do,” she told me. My heart was warmed by the certainty of her words. I grabbed her hand and we entered the room. There weren’t many people here but a few told me hello and Bella looked at me with questions in her eyes.

We took seats in the second row and I didn’t let go of her hand as the meeting began.

“Do we have anyone who would like to speak tonight?” The meeting leader asked as he looked around the room.

I let go of Bella’s hand and stood up, “My name is Edward and I am a drug addict.”

You Belong to Me Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Disclaimer: We still own nothing except the pain and suffering that we give all the characters.

Chapter songs:

“Only God Knows” Orianthi

“Because You Loved Me” Celine Dion

“This Woman’s Work” Maxwell

BPOV

I looked over Edward’s shoulder to where that authoritative voice came from.

“Billy,” I said to him as Edward moved beside me and I kept his hand in mine. “Edward, I don’t know if you remember, but this is Billy Black, Jacob’s dad and my Dad’s best friend. Billy, this is...”

“I know exactly who he is Bella.” His sharp tone radiated anger. “What I don’t know is what the hell he is doing here.”

“Bella, I’m going to give you and Mr. Black a moment to talk. I’ll be right back,” Edward told me as his hand caressed my cheek and his thumb brushed lightly across my lower lip, making me tremble slightly as my body became excited by these simple touches.

“Okay,” I said to him. “Please don’t be long.” He nodded and soothingly squeezed my hand and walked towards the nurses’ station.

“You didn’t answer my question, Bella. What is Cullen doing here with you?”

“Billy, I don’t see that this matters to you. He’s here with me.”

“Does your father know about you and Cullen?” Well, this was craptastic. My father was definitely not on the top of my list right now at all, after him forcing Edward out of my life by lying to us.

“No, Billy, he doesn’t know.”

“Don’t you think that he deserves to know who you are spending your time with, Bella?” This was really starting to piss me off. How dare Billy try to tell me what to do and who to do it with. Evidently all of the parents in Washington felt it was their job in life to tell other people what they needed to be doing and with whom.

“Billy, I think that it is my decision when I tell my father about Edward and me. It is my life we are talking about after all.” I tried to keep my calm. I knew that Billy was worried about Jake and Emily, but he had absolutely no right to attempt to interfere in my life.

“Bella, we all know what he did to you. You deserve better than Edward Cullen.”

“I know that you are concerned about me, but I can take care of myself. Edward is not the same person he was. He has changed just like I have. We are both very different people now. We’re both better. He makes me happy. I would never be with someone who would hurt me again, Billy. Edward has learned from his mistakes. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?”

Billy didn’t look too sure about anything that I had said. This was my life and I was never going to let anyone dictate how I should live it and with whom. “It is my place to tell my father and I will in my own time. OK?” I was very stern and I knew that he finally realized that he wasn’t making any ground in our conversation.

Before he could answer me, I saw Jake and Edward coming off of the elevator. Billy seemed stunned to see them together and not ripping each other to shreds. I also saw Emily’s parents talking to the nurse and saw the nurse point to the direction of the waiting room. Jake saw them about the same time I did. Emily’s mom hugged him cautiously, and her dad shook his good hand as they walked to the waiting room.

“Have you heard anything else, Bella?” Emily’s mom asked me as we hugged each other.

“No, we haven’t heard anything since they took her back to surgery.” I walked over to Jake and hugged him. “Glad to see you up and about, Jake.”

“I’m glad to be out of that horribly uncomfortable bed,” Jake told me. “Edward talked the nurse into getting me some kick ass clothes. What do you think?” He motioned to the hospital scrubs he had on.

“You are definitely ready for the runways of Fashion Week in that ensemble,” I joked with him. The tension was palpable and growing by the second, as we all got as comfortable as we could waiting for news on Em.

Edward held my hand, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. The minutes continued to tick away and suddenly the doctor appeared before us.

The look in his eyes said it all, before he even said a word.

“Mr. and Mrs. Young, I’m Dr. Sandler.” He sat down next to them and sighed deeply. “As you are aware, your daughter’s injuries were extensive and she was revived more than once.” He took a breath and said the words that broke my heart. “We did absolutely everything we could. Despite all of our efforts, Emily didn’t make it. I’m so incredibly sorry for your loss.”

Emily’s mom began to scream, “No! No! Not my baby!” I knew that there were sobs coming from me and that Edward was doing everything he could to help comfort me. It was Jacob’s reaction that would forever be ingrained in my mind. No one was able to console him. He begged and pleaded with the doctor telling him that he had to be mistaken. That Emily was going to be OK. I heard Billy choke and knew that he was reliving the moment when he lost the love of his life in a horrific accident too.

Jacob collapsed on the floor and I sank down on the floor beside him. I took his head and cradled him against my chest. I rocked him back and forth and rubbed his back, but his cries continued to intensify. “She can’t be gone. She has to be OK. She has to be OK. She’s my everything. I don’t know who I am without Emily. I can’t live without her. I love her with all that I am.”

I didn’t know what to say to Jacob. I couldn’t tell him that everything was going to be OK because it wasn’t. Our lives had be irrevocably changed. “I know, Jake. I know how much you love her. We all love her.”

I looked up and saw Edward watching us with tears in his eyes. I also noticed that Emily’s parents were missing. I looked to where they had been sitting then to Edward. He mouthed the words “to see Emily.”

“I have to see Emily, Bella,” he begged me. My hoodie was drenched with his tears. I nodded to Edward and he got up and went to the nurses’ station. He motioned for us.

“Jake,” I tilted his head up and looked in his eyes and the light that had been in his eyes since he fell in love with Emily had disappeared. “Edward is going to take us so you can see Emily, okay?” He nodded weakly and I helped him up. He was shaky on his feet and Edward came to help me steady Jake.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Billy staring intently at the three of us. “Billy, would you like to come with us?” I asked him.

“No, Bella. I can’t...” He swallowed thickly and I knew why he wasn’t going. It wouldn’t be Emily that he saw lying lifeless, it would be Jake’s mom. He wheeled in front of us and grabbed Jake’s hand. “I love you, Son. I’m so, so sorry that... I will be waiting here for you.”

Jacob didn’t say a word as Edward led us to the door that lead to the OR. I heard heart-wrenching cries and saw Emily’s mom and dad wrapped tightly in each others’ arms. As we got to the door, my palms got clammy. My best friend was in that room and she was never coming home again. I would never hear her laugh at one of Jacob’s silly jokes. I would never have our gossip time when we shared our most sacred hopes and dreams. She would never be there for me to tell her that I had indeed met the love of my life too, the person I couldn’t live without like she had. I wanted to remember her alive, her bright smiling face, her contagious laughter. I wanted to remember her the way she was this time yesterday, bouncing off the walls because she was actually going to meet her favorite singer in person. She hugged me so tightly when she thanked me for letting them use my car, so she wouldn’t miss the show. But I would never see her smile again. I would never hear Emily’s laughter. She would never hug me again.

“Bella, can you please come in with me?” Jacob asked in a weak voice. I didn’t want to do this. I knew that our Emily wasn’t behind those doors, but I had to do this for Jake. He needed me right now and I wasn’t going to abandon him when he needed me most.

“Yes.” I glanced at Edward and he smiled weakly at me.

“I will be right here waiting for you, Bella,” Edward told me, as he hugged me tightly. Then I grabbed Jake’s hand in mine and entered the doorway.

Jake pulled me with him to the side of the table. Emily looked so peaceful, like an angel. I choked back a sob as I realized that, in fact, she was an angel looking over us now.

Jake released my hand and grabbed Emily’s while he brushed back her hair from her face and kissed her lips.

“Please, Em. I can’t live without you. You’re not dead. You’re not dead,” Jacob said as he continued to stroke her face and kiss her lips tenderly. “Emily, Baby. I love you. Please, please, come back to me, Em,” he pleaded.

I placed my hand over Jake’s where he had Emily’s hand clasped in his. I was startled by how cold she felt.

“Jake, honey,” I said through my tears. “I want her here too, but she’s gone. She’s gone.” I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could, as he mourned the future that was suddenly robbed because of one careless person’s actions.

“But, Bella, I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to her.” I heard the door open and saw orderlies that were here to take her away from us.

“Tell her goodbye now, Jake. It’s time.”

“Emily, I will always love you. You made me such a better person that I had ever hoped to be. You brought me more joy than any one person deserved to have in a lifetime. I will be forever thankful that you were in my life and that you loved me.” He kissed her one last time and walked out the door.

“Thank you for being my friend when I needed one, Em. I love you.” I kissed her cheek and walked to the door where my future awaited me.

Chapter 20 YBTM

Chapter 20

Disclaimer: We still own nothing except the pain and suffering that we give all the characters.

Songs:

"Live Like You Were Dying" Tim McGraw

“If Today Was Your Last Day” Nickelback

BPOV

I tightened my grip on Edward’s hand after I heard the announcement and waited for someone to come and tell me the Emily was gone. Suddenly the doors of ICU rushed open. What I saw had me grab Edward’s hand even tighter. Emily was on her gurney with someone sitting on top of her giving her chest compressions, as doctors and nurses pushed her towards the OR. It was like watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, but unfortunately this wasn’t TV, this was Emily’s life in the balance.

I choked out a sob and Edward forced me to let go of his hand and pulled me into his lap where he rocked me, trying to calm me as best he could. I heard a throat clear and looked over my shoulder.

“Ms. Swan, I’m Nurse Shepherd.” I giggled at the name, who wouldn’t? My McDreamy had me in his arms. While Nurse Shepherd wasn’t a doctor, he could give Patrick Dempsey a definite run for his money. Maybe this was just all a dream and I was inside and episode of Grey’s after all.

“Sorry, Nurse. She hasn’t slept yet, and is a little out of it,” Edward said as he attempted to stifle a grin himself.

“I understand completely. The doctors wanted me to let you know that it appears as though there was a second place in Miss Young’s heart that suffered a slight tear, and that is what they believe caused her recent cardiac arrest,” Nurse Shepherd said to us. “We understand her parents will be here later today?”

“Yes,” I told him, as I looked at the clock on the wall. The police contacted Em’s parents after midnight and said they would be on a 6 am flight from Seattle. “They should definitely be on the plane headed here now. The flight is supposed to land a little before 4 pm.”

“Her surgery shouldn’t take that long, but the doctor wanted me to assure you as soon as it is finished you will receive an update.”

EPOV

As the nurse walked away, I knew there were a few things that I had to do before Emily’s parents arrived. First, I had to go tell Jacob about Emily. Then, even though I knew that this wasn’t likely the right time, I had to tell Bella about what our father’s did.

“Bella,” I said gently as I stroked her back. “I promised Jake. I’m not going to break my promise to him.”

“I understand,” she told me.

“Do you want to go with me?” I already knew her answer before I asked. She shook her head solemnly. We both stood up and I hugged her and kissed her forehead. “I won’t be long.”

I didn’t knock as I got to his room. The breakfast cart was a few doors down, so I knew he had either been served breakfast or would be soon. Jake was propped up in his bed, playing with his food. He looked up at me when he heard the door shut.

“Cullen.” His tone was severe, but he and I had come to an understanding last night. He would be keeping his eyes on me at all times and if I fucked up once, he was going to beat the shit out of me and then he would call Charlie, so he could do the same. I had no intentions of doing anything that could hurt Bella in any possible way. I couldn’t tell Jacob that. What he was going through, was more eye-opening than Granny Platt flicking my ears and showing me how I had fucked up my entire life, and most importantly, how Bella shattered into pieces because of my treatment of her.

“Jake,” I cleared my throat, took a deep breath, and looked him straight in his eyes. He nodded his head at me and I could feel the tension radiating from him. “Emily is still alive, but her heart stopped earlier and they found another tear. The doctors have her in surgery now.”

“Cullen...Edward, how long...” Jake gulped. “I have to get out of this fucking bed. The waiting is killing me. I have to see her.” His uninjured hand gripped the breakfast tray and threw it aside. The tray clattered to the floor as he began to cry. “She can’t die, Edward. Emily and I are meant to be together. Forever...”

A nurse stuck her head in at the commotion. “Is everything okay in here?” She asked us.

“Yes, my friend here is used to having two good arms and grabbed his tray with his injured arm, and well, you can see the result,” I told her, as I began to pick up as much of his demolished breakfast as best as I could.

“Okay. I will get maintenance in here to clean up the mess for you.”

“Um, could you also check with the doctor about when Jake should be released? We were told that he only had to stay for observation and would be released sometime today. His girlfriend is upstairs and he really needs to be with her right now.” I had emphasized the word “needs” and the nurse seemed to understand the point that I was trying to make.

“I can page his doctor and check. I know he started rounds about 30 minutes ago. Hopefully he will be here soon.”

“Thank you very much, nurse,” I told her and I heard Jacob sigh with some relief. He would be able to be with Emily soon. I prayed that she was still going to be alive when he did.

“Thanks, man,” Jacob told me.

“Sure. I need to get back to Bella. I will tell the nurse where Bella and I are going to be waiting, so you can join us as soon as they let you out of here.”

“Edward, you didn’t have to keep me updated like this. I really appreciate you not bullshitting me.”

“It is very clear how you feel about Emily. You have every right to know what’s happening with her. If I hear anything else before you are released, I will be back.”

“You do seem different, Cullen. I’ll give you that, but don’t forget what I told you.”

“Black, you don’t have to worry about me hurting Bella. I know what I did to her before, and I don’t ever want her to be hurt by my hands literally or metaphorically ever again. See you upstairs soon.”

“Sure, sure,” Jacob told me.

Even though Bella was worried sick about Emily, I couldn’t keep the truth from her any longer. She had a right to know about the role our fathers had played in officially ending our relationship.

She was curled up in two chairs in the corner of the waiting room, sound asleep. Even with exhaustion filling her features in her sleep, I had never seen a more beautiful sight in my life. I got comfortable next to her and stroked her hair while I closed my eyes and tried to figure out how I could tell her without damaging her already broken heart.

I must have dosed off, because the next thing I knew I was awakened by the most incredible sensation of Bella curled up in my lap. Her head was nestled in the crook of my neck. One of her hands was playing with the hairs at the base of my neck, while the other caressed my chest.

She felt me stir and looked up at me. I could look into those incredible chocolate eyes forever.

“Hey, sleepy head,” Bella told me, while she continued to use those magical hands on my body. Now was not the time for me to be getting turned on by what she was doing.

“Hi, yourself,” I told her, as I stroked a lock of hair from her face and then continued to rub the side of her neck. “Any news on Emily yet?”

“No news is good news, I guess.” She didn’t look too sure of those words as she spoke them. “I’ve been thinking...”

Uh, oh. Those words hovered over my head like an ominous cloud.

“You haven’t told me a lot about what was going on in your world before you got here. You got to hear all the insane stories about how Emily and I met and how she is always a whirlwind of energy that brings happiness and excitement to everyone around her. Tell me about your friends and family. What has everyone been doing since the last time I saw them?”

Bella wanted a distraction from the Emily situation. I would give it to her and then give her the answers she had been looking for.

“Well, two interesting things came out of me being in my addiction phase. First, do you remember Rosalie Hale? She was as senior when we were freshmen in school.” I could see her searching her memory.

“Oh, yes. I remember her. She had a body like a fucking super model and a mind like Einstein. Every guy on campus wanted in her pants.”

“Well, she is a nurse at the hospital. Her and Emmett got together while I was in there.”

“Really? They would make an interesting couple,” Bella told me.

“That they do, but they are more than a couple. They are married and I am going to be an uncle in a few months. January to be exact.” I grinned. I still found it incredible that my twin was getting ready to be a father. He had matured so much during his time with Rosalie.

“What?!” She shouted, and then looked around when she realized how loud she had actually been. “You are just now telling me that Emmett, the biggest goofball on the planet, is going to be a dad! Holy shit!”

“Those were the exact thoughts I had when he told me.” We both giggled.

“Edward, all joking aside, Emmett will be an amazing father. He is a giant kid himself, so he will definitely be able to relate well to his child.”

I stroked the bottom of her chin and my thumb grazed her bottom lip on accident. “Um, that’s true.” I had to get my head back into this conversation. The feel of her lips, fuck me. I want my lips on hers so bad. We are just friends, I told myself. Friends shouldn’t have thoughts like this about another friend. “Oh, and Jasper has finally shagged...I mean snagged himself a winning girl. They’ve been together since January.” Dammit, he better not be shagging my little sister!

“Really, he always seemed so fickle. He was never with any girl for very long, except that foreign exchange student that exchanged bodily fluids with almost every boy on campus. Who is it that has finally snagged his heart?”

“Alice.” I saw her face fall. I knew that Bella and Alice hadn’t talked since January. They had been inseparable since Bella first moved here. While Alice had Jasper, I had noticed that there was something missing- her best friend.

“Your sister and your best friend?” Besides the longing in her voice for her missing relationship with Alice, I heard something else that I couldn’t put my finger on. “She did always have a crush on Jasper. I’m happy that they have both found someone who makes them happy.”

“They are definitely happy. The little pixie is even more chipper than ever, when Jasper is around.”

“I didn’t know it was possible for her to be even more excited. What about your parents? How are Carlisle and Esme?”

Shit. She just gave me the opening I needed.

“They are still the same, but I did find out some interesting news about my dad and your’s last night from Jasper.” She looked perplexed.

“I didn’t think our dads had anything at all to do with each other anymore?”

“That’s what we all thought. Bella. You remember the restraining orders?” She nodded her head, but I felt her tense from head to toe. “Alice and Jasper went to the hospital to visit Dad and they heard him on the phone with your dad. The phone call was on speaker phone and Al and Jaz heard every word they said.”

“What is it, Edward? You can tell me anything. The truth, remember?” She ran her fingers down my cheek.

“It was them, Bella. They lied- to all of us. There were never any restraining orders placed. Our dads just told us that because they didn’t want us together anymore.”

She jumped off my lap and ran to the other side of the waiting room. Fury poured off her in waves. I got up and started to walk towards her.

BPOV

“My Dad, he would never hurt me that way. He wouldn’t have lied to me.” I was pissed off. After all this time of Edward playing the perfect gentleman, now he was showing that he hadn’t changed at all. “Once a liar, always a fucking liar... huh, Edward?”

“Bella, do you think that I wanted to tell you this and to tell it to you now?” He sounded almost exasperated with me. “I promised you that I wouldn’t lie to you about anything and I meant it. I will always keep my promises. I promised Jacob that I would tell him about Emily and I have. Do you think that this is something that I actually enjoyed doing? No, I didn’t, but he asked me to keep him updated, even if it was news he didn’t want to hear.” He ran his hands through his tousled hair and began pacing. “I tried to tell you last night right before the police arrived. Don’t you remember that?”

I did remember he was going to say something. I thought he was going to say, “Let’s get it on.” Then the night from Hell happened.

“I know that we both tried to say something before we were interrupted.” He walked close to me and I could see pain in his eyes.

“Bella, I know you don’t want to believe that your Dad would have lied to you about the restraining orders. I was so pissed off after Jasper told me what they’d heard. Once I had a chance to cool off, I put myself in our fathers’ places. I was such a major fuck up. Shit, Bella, that’s the understatement of the century. I just wanted you on my terms and no one else’s. You wouldn’t have gone through the trauma of having shot someone. You wouldn’t have gone through all the mental and physical pain that I put you through. By taking me out of the picture, your dad was trying to make sure that I could never hurt you again. While I might not agree with how they both went about it, we wouldn’t be the people that we’ve become today if we hadn’t had the opportunity to grow-up on our own terms. You became who you wanted to be and I was able to become someone that wasn’t ashamed of everything that he did.”

Every word that Edward told me made total sense. He has proven himself to me on more than one occasion. I sank down into the chair and looked up at him. Charlie was a cop, a job where he served and protected.

I remembered the day of the shooting and arriving to the hospital with my Dad.

*****

“What the hell is wrong with you Bella?” He looked me in the eyes and he could

see that it wasn’t just mental pain that I was feeling right now. “Are you hurt,

Bells?”

I shook my head. “No, Dad. I’m perfectly fine. It’s nothing.” As I tried to pull

my arm away from Charlie, he pulled my shirt sleeve up and gasped. I looked down and

saw a bruise on my arm. It was very clear to Charlie what caused it, since the

bruise was the shape of a handprint... Edward’s handprint.

“I can’t believe that son of a bitch did this to you, Bella!” he said through

gritted teeth.

“Dad.”

“Don’t you ‘Dad’ me right now! Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I’m fine. I need to see how Edward is. It’s my fault that he’s here.”

“From the looks of things, he got exactly what he deserved,” Charlie grumbled.

“Char—Dad, how could you say that?” I said softly. “Please, I have to make sure

he’s going to be OK. I love him.”

*****

I remembered the look of horror in Charlie’s eyes when he saw the bruises. If he could have ended Edward right then and there, he would have done it. Dad would have done anything to protect his little girl and it looked like that protection extended to lying and possibly even falsifying legal documents.

“Fuck.” I mumbled to myself. I tucked my legs under my chin and placed my arms around my calves. I was trying to hold myself together yet again. All the times I cried because I thought that Edward didn’t love me anymore. All the times I needed to just be near him and was told that he didn’t want me near him. Lies. They were all lies! Edward had never pushed me away. It was Carlisle and Charlie who forced us out of each others’ lives. I saw Edward sit down next to me. He reached out to touch me, then pulled his hand away.

“Bella,” Edward whispered. His voice was laced with pain. “It’s okay to be mad at me. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, so sorry. Maybe I should just go...”

“No!” I shouted as my hand grabbed on to his thigh. “Don’t leave me!” I fought out, as I started to cry. I couldn’t picture any of my life without Edward in it. He was it for me. He was my forever and I wasn’t going to let him go.

“I don’t think I can ever forgive him for this,” I whispered. “I loved you. I loved you with every cell in my body, with every beat of my heart, with every breath I took. When he told me...I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know how I was going to survive without you.”

“But, Bella, you did survive,” Edward told me. His hand reached hesitantly to stroke my cheek. “You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. I thank God each and every day that you gave me a second chance, when I had done nothing to deserve it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my friend.”

“I don’t want to be your friend, Edward.” My comment startled him.

“Okay, Bella.” He stood up to leave. “I told you this was on your terms and that I wouldn’t force myself on you.” He started to walk away from me.

“Edward, no! You didn’t give me a chance to finish.” I walked to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He turned and his beautiful eyes met mine. I grabbed both of his hands and held on for dear life, as my eyes remained locked with his. “I don’t want to live without you anymore. I want us to try to really be together again. I’ve never stopped loving you, E. I don’t just want to be your friend. I want us to be a couple again. What do you say?”

His eyes watered and before he could answer me, I heard another voice from my past.

“Isabella Marie Swan, what in the hell do you think you are doing?”

You Belong to Me Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Disclaimer: We don’t own anything Twilight except all of our collectibles, calendars and magazines.

Chapter Songs:

“Live Like We’re Dying” Kris Allen

“Seasons of Love” Rent Soundtrack

“Iris” Goo Goo Dolls

“Chasing Cars” Snow Patrol

BPOV

“An accident?” My voice was shaking. My Dad was a cop. If something had happened to him in the line of duty, it wouldn’t be a phone call that I would be receiving. “Is my dad...” I felt my knees start to give out from under me. Edward wrapped his arms around me to keep me from collapsing.

“Miss Swan, we aren’t here about your father. Are you the owner of a Aston Martin DBS Volante convertible?” The officer asked me.

“Yes,” I whispered. “Jake, Emily are they...” I couldn’t finish. While I wanted to know I couldn’t find the words to ask if my best friends were dead or alive. Thankfully, Edward had the strength that I didn’t.

“Her friends, how are they? What happened?” Edward’s voice was filled with the worry that I felt.

“Your friends were headed towards Norman on Sooner Road when a drunk driver collided with the vehicle. The fire department used the jaws of life to extricate them. The male, his injuries didn’t appear to be life threatening. The girl looked to be extremely critical. She was taken via helicopter to Oklahoma University Medical Center in Oklahoma City. The male was taken there by ambulance,” The officer said, looking over his paperwork.

I swallowed past the lump that had taken root in my throat and I could feel the tears that were now pouring down my face. The officer sounded so emotionally detached. I wished that I could detach myself from this reality that I was now faced with. “Miss, we need to contact their next of kin. Could you please provide us that information?”

“Um, Edward,” I could barely see him through the stream of tears. “My cell phone, please?” He let me go and I suddenly everything started to go black when I felt his strong arms pick me up and gather me close to his chest.

“Bella, B, Baby, I’m here. I’m not leaving your side no matter what.” I felt his lips graze my forehead as I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck with my faced tucked into his neck. He took me to the sofa and grabbed my cell phone off the coffee table. “Baby, whose numbers do I need to look for?”

“For Jacob, Billy Black. For Emily, Paul Young,” I said, as Edward quickly wrote the numbers down and handed them to the officer. “Officer, my friends, their parents live in Washington State. Someone needs to be there for them. They shouldn’t be alone right now.” I started sobbing uncontrollably. I never wanted to let Edward go, as I cried onto his shirt.

“Miss, if you would like, my partner and I can give you a ride to the hospital so you can be with your friends,” said the officer.

Before I could even respond, my gentleman, my other best friend, Edward, answered for me. “Thank you for the offer, sir. I would like to drive her there myself if it is OK with you.”

“That’s fine, son. I will make sure to leave word at the front desk, that they are to give you updates on their conditions since their families are so far away,” the police officer said, as he turned to leave.

“Thank you so much, Sir.” Edward reached out and shook his hand. He followed the officer to the door then came to sit with me on the couch. “Bella, we need to get going. Your friends need you right now.”

He pulled me tightly to his chest hugging me fiercely. His hands were moving in circles on my back trying to comfort me as I returned his hug. I needed some strength right now and Edward was doing his best to help me find it. He unwrapped my arms from around his neck, grabbed my cell and put it in my purse.

“Bella, which is your room? We need to get you some shoes so we can leave?” Edward was saying, as he stood in the hallway.

“First, door on the left.” I wiped at the tears in my eyes. Edward returned quickly with a pair of tennis shoes and an OU hoodie. He put the shoes on my feet and then clasped my hands in his as he helped me up. Then he slipped my arms through the hoodie and zipped it up.

I looked up at him with a questioning gaze. “It gets cold in hospitals. I don’t want you to catch a chill.” He picked up my purse and reached his hand to take mine. It wasn’t enough just to hold his hand, so I linked my fingers through his. Even with all the wrong that had happened tonight, that one gesture felt oh-so-right.

EPOV

Bella’s quiet sobs on the drive to the hospital tore fiercely at my heart. I drove with my left hand while the fingers of her left hand were almost melded between the fingers of my right hand. I used this small physical connection that I had with her to give her all of my strength and support that she needed.

When we entered the emergency room, I noticed the officer who had been at Bella’s, standing at the receptionist’s area. “Miss Swan, I was able to contact both of your friend’s parents. They unfortunately won’t be able to make it until some time tomorrow afternoon. I also spoke with the nurses in charge of both of your friends and they know to update you on their conditions.”

“Thank you so much for your help, officer.” I could tell from the tone of her voice that she was barely hanging on by a thread. I squeezed her hand gently and she smiled a weak smile but the squeeze she gave my hand back told me how much she appreciated me being with her.

“If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My name is officer Giovanni Raines.” He handed his business card towards Bella, and when she made no move to grab it, I took it.

“We will. Thanks again. Who do we need to talk to for information on her friends?” I said.

“They are waiting for you at the nurses’ station,” the officer pointed us in the right direction. I felt Bella begin to tremble with fear, as we went to get an update on Jake and Emily, so I wrapped my arm around her and guided her.

It was like the nurses were waiting for us. The looks in their eyes made me extremely nervous. I wasn’t sure how Bella would handle it if one or both of her best friends had died.

“Um, my name is Bella Swan. I was wondering if you could give me an update on my friends, Jacob Black and Emily Young?” Bella was hanging on by a thread and I was afraid that she was going to snap at any moment.

“Yes, Miss Swan. I’m Nurse Hayes. I just paged the doctors in charge of your friends’ cases and they said for me to take you to the surgical waiting room. This way please.”

We followed the nurse to the elevators and went to the third floor. When we were guided to a private room, my fears for Bella’s friends escalated. With my dad being a doctor, I knew that these private waiting rooms should really be called rooms of dread.

“The doctors should be here any moment,” Nurse Hayes said, as she shut the door and left Bella and I alone.

“Edward, I don’t know what I’ll do if...” I hugged her as tightly as I could and rubbed her back.

“Bella, we don’t know anything yet. You’ve got to think positive thoughts. Your friends are young and in excellent health. They are fighters from everything that you’ve told me about them.”

I could vaguely remember a time when Jacob Black wasn’t much of a fighter. He had changed a lot from the time in middle school, when he basically just stood there and took the beating that I gave him. I cringed at the thought of the stupid worthless fuck that I was. I was nothing but a piece of shit bully, who did whatever he wanted to do to get his way. Even if that meant beating up a scrawny little kid for looking at the new girl at school, with a big smile. I had seen the pictures of Jake and Bella together. He definitely wasn’t a weakling anymore.

Before Bella could respond two doctors who didn’t look much older than Doogie Howser walked in.

“You’re here for Jacob Black and Emily Young?” The doctor asked us.

“Yes, I am,” Bella answered. She pulled me tighter to her side.

“I’m Dr. Goldberg. I treated Mr. Black. He was extremely lucky. He has some cuts and bruises on his arms and face as well as a broken arm. He has a slight concussion as well, so we are going to keep him overnight for observation.”

“He’s going to be OK?” Bella asked timidly.

“Yes, he should be perfectly fine. We did have to sedate him, because he became uncontrollable when we wouldn’t let him be with his girlfriend. Do you have any other questions about Mr. Black?” the doctor asked.

“No, Dr. Goldberg. Thank you so much for taking care of him,” Bella said.

“You’re more than welcome. I will leave you with Dr. Sandler now to tell you about your other friend,” Dr. Goldberg said as he turned and left.

As soon as the door shut behind Dr. Goldberg, Dr. Sandler came and sat across from Bella. Fuck! It is never, ever good when a doctor takes the time to sit down and talk to a patient’s family.

“I worked on your friend Miss Young in the ER. Upon arrival the EMT’s said that they had to revive her in the helicopter twice on the way to the hospital because her heart had stopped,” Dr. Sandler told us.

Bella gasped for air and the tears began pouring out. My heart was breaking for her and there was nothing I could do but be here for her. I wanted to cocoon her and shield her from any and every bit of pain that life threw at her. “Is she...dead?” Bella asked.

“Her injuries are quite extensive. It appears that after the car that struck Mr. Black and Miss Young’s vehicle at such an angle, their car was sent into a spin. Most of the impact was on the front passenger side of the car where we were told that Miss Young was seated. There are a team of the best surgeons in the country working on her as we speak. Her right leg was crushed and one of our orthopedic specialists is working on it. Miss Young lost a great deal of blood from internal injuries, as well. She suffered trauma to her chest and had fluid around her heart that we believe came from a small tear that the impact likely caused. She also has some bleeding and swelling in her brain. I have to be brutally honest with you. Your friend is in the worst possible shape imaginable. If she makes it through surgery, the next 24 hours are critical,” the doctor said, looking over Emily’s chart.

“How long will she be in surgery?” I asked the doctor. I knew that at this point Bella’s thought processes had checked out. She was crumbling before my eyes.

“It could last from four hours up to twelve. It depends on the amount of damage that they find and repair. They may also have to wait until she is more stable to do all the needed repairs,” he said.

“What are her chances?” I asked. Unfortunately, I knew the answer when he looked me directly in the eyes.

“If she survives surgery, it will be a miracle. I am so sorry. I wish I had better news to give you.” He got up and squeezed Bella on the shoulder. “I do believe greatly in the power of prayer. Your friend needs as much support as she can get right now. One of her doctors will be out to give you an update as soon as possible,” the doctor said with a somber look on his face.

“When can I see my friend, Jake?” Bella asked with a despondent look on her face.

“He will likely be out for another hour or two. I will talk to Dr. Goldberg and have Mr. Black’s nurse contact you when he wakes up.” Dr. Sandler nodded to me and walked down the hall.

Bella nodded and threw herself around me. I gathered her up and put her in my lap. Her whole body shuddered from her heart-wrenching cries. I felt my heart constrict in my chest from Bella’s suffering, and soon the tears began to fall from my eyes.

“I can’t...” She gulped out between her sobs, “lose...her...I...need...her!”

“I know, Baby. I know.” I kissed the top of her head and rocked her back and forth. “The doctor was right. Let’s say a prayer for Emily.” She glanced up at me with her swollen eyes and red face. She seemed surprised at my suggestion.

“Bella, when I am stressed or overwhelmed and afraid that my old craving could take over my body, I pray. I pray even when I am not worried about anything. It is soothing and really does provide a true sense of peace and serenity.”

“Do you believe in God, Edward?” Bella asked looking up at me with anguish in her eyes.

“How could I not? The world is such an incredible place, like our meadow at Griffin Park. Look at all the incredible people who we have in our lives.” I looked at the most breath-takenly beautiful woman God ever created who was wrapped in my arms. Only God would have given me the chance to prove myself to her, to give me the opportunity to earn a second chance with her. “God works in mysterious and wonderful ways. I believe that he hears us and when it is in his power that he answers our prayers.”

“Edward, she’s in such bad shape,” Bella said with tears falling freely. I could feel every bit of despair that was engulfing every fiber of her being.

“All the more reason to ask God to give her the strength that she needs to fight, to fight to live for Jake, for you.” I placed my forefinger gently under her chin and she gave a small nod. “Would you like me to say the prayer, B?”

“Yes, please,” she sniffled.

“Beloved heavenly father...”

BPOV

“Amen.” Edward and I said in unison.

“Thank you so much, Edward. That prayer was absolutely beautiful. Do you really think that God heard us?”

“I honestly do, Bella.”

I curled myself even further into his lap. I had no idea how I could have made it through tonight without Edward. He had been my rock. I knew that there was no way that I could have faced all of this alone.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when there was a knock at the door.

“Miss Swan, I just received a call from your friend’s nurse. Mr. Black is awake,” the receptionist from the surgical waiting room said. I could feel the relief pulsing through my body. I needed to be with Jake as much as he needed to be with me. “He’s in room 605.”

“Will you tell Emily Young’s doctors where we are, if they come while we are gone?”

“Yes, sweetie. I will let them know. Someone will find you to give you an update if you aren’t here,” the receptionist smiled.

Edward and I got up. “Are you ready?” He asked me.

“I’ve never been more ready.” We wound our fingers together as we made our way to Jake’s floor. I stopped us before we entered Jake’s room. I turned to look at Edward. “What should I tell Jake about Emily?” I didn’t want to be the one to give him the news about how bad she was. I knew that any pain that Emily was experiencing would kill Jake. “The whole truth...It just doesn’t seems like he needs to know everything right now.”

“You’re probably right. Just don’t lie to him, Bella. If things don’t go...just tell him that she’s in surgery and you should be hearing how she is doing soon,” Edward said.

I took a deep breath to try to calm myself. I wiped at my face. “Do I look OK? Will he be able to tell how upset I’ve been?”

“Bella, you’re beautiful.” Edward’s words warmed my heart. “Anyone would be upset that their friends were hurt.” He was right. I could do this. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“Can you give me a few minutes alone with him?”

“Anything, Bella.” He kissed me on the forehead and I opened the door.

Jake hadn’t noticed me yet and it broke my heart to see him in such bad shape. It wasn’t his physical shape that was tearing me in two. I could feel the hurt and anguish that was radiating from his every pore. His other half was hurt. He didn’t know how badly, but I could tell that he still knew.

“Hey, Jake.” I walked over and sat down on the side of the bed by his unbroken arm. I grabbed a hold of his hand with both of mine. “How are you feeling?” I moved one hand and pushed his hair out of his eyes.

“I feel like I’ve been in a wreck, Bells.” He tried to rub at his head with his injured arm. “Fuck this hurts!”

“What can I do for you?”

“I’m so sorry,” He started to cry. My big, strong, teddy bear. My Jake was crumbling before me. “Emily, they wouldn’t let me stay with her. There were so many doctors working on her. I tried...The other car was there before I knew what was happening...” His cries intensified and I felt my tears begin to flow again. “Please tell me she is going to be OK?”

Everyone knows I am the world’s worst liar. Jake picked the one question that I had hoped he wouldn’t ask me.

“Jake,” I squeezed his hand tightly. “She’s in surgery. They are working on her. So many of the best doctors in the country are doing everything in their power to help her...”

“It’s my fault. She’s fighting for her life because of me!” Jake shouted. I wrapped my arms around him as best as I could and tried to help take his pain away like Edward had done with me.

“It is not your fault. Don’t ever think that you are to blame for what happened. If you want to blame it on anyone, blame it on the fucking moron who got behind the wheel of the car they were driving when they were drunk. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault.” I knew that I had to be firm in my words. Jacob loved Emily with everything that he was. I knew what was going through his mind. He was wishing that he was the one on the operating table. He would do anything to make things better for Emily. He would give his life for her.

“Bella, is everything OK?” I heard Edward’s musical voice, at the same time that I felt Jake tense up.

“What is he doing here, Bella?” He looked at me with ferocious eyes. “What the fuck do you think you are doing here with her, Cullen? Get the hell out of here!”

“Jake, he’s with me. He was with me when I found out what happened and hasn’t left my side. I want him here with me.”

Jake grabbed my arm as tightly as he could with his good hand. His grip was so tight it felt like the circulation was being cut off. “Did he not hurt you enough last time you were together? Do you want him to end you? He’s violent, Bella. He won’t stop until you’re dead!” Jake growled at me. He kept squeezing tighter and tighter, and I yelped and Edward stormed closer to us.

“Take your hands off her. You’re hurting her!” Edward’s voice was laced with fury. Jacob looked at the fear in my eyes that he had caused, not Edward.

“Bella, what the hell are you thinking? Is he...” I actually heard the click as Jake put two and two together. “He’s the guy you’ve been seeing here, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” I whispered as I rubbed my arm trying to get the stinging pain to disappear. Edward had taken a protective stance behind me. I could tell he was ready to spring on Jake at any opportunity. I had wanted to find a way to distract Jake about Emily’s plight, but not this way.

“Did you follow her here?” Jacob asked.

“The first time that Bella and I had seen or talked to each other since January, was when I ran into her at the student union here. Neither of us knew where the other was or what they were doing,” Edward assured Jake.

“Sure, Cullen.” Jake rolled his eyes and looked away from us.

“Jake, he has changed. I know you would have a difficult time believing it. I did too, but he isn’t the same person he was.”

“He’s just fucking waiting until you have your guard totally down and then he will start where he left off!” Jacob spat.

“That’s not true. He cares about me. I care about him. He is in my life now.”

“You are so fucking stupid, Bells. I’m not going to sit around and watch him tear you down again. Get the hell out of here and don’t come back. I don’t want to see you again, ever!” Jake said as he turned his head.

I would have collapsed to the floor if Edward hadn’t grabbed me and put me behind him.

“Black, I know you are upset and hurting, but this is not the time to treat Bella this way. She loves you. She loves Emily. It would literally kill her if anything happened to either of you. I am not the one who has caused any type of pain to Bella tonight. Can you say the same thing? All she is trying to do is comfort you and you treat her like, shit.” Edward grumbled and ran his hands through his hair. “What you just did to her... That is exactly something that I would have done to her before.” That remark caused Jacob to cringe and he turned pale. “It’s been a long and painful road for me to get to where I’m at; to change the way that I was. You don’t have a fucking clue and right now is not the time for us to even be talking about me! Your girlfriend, the love of your life, is laying on an operating table and is fighting for her life. Instead of fighting with Bella, you both need to support each other.”

Edward’s words seem to have struck a chord with Jacob. “Jacob, I know you may not be happy with my choices right now, but I need you as much as you need me.” Jake nodded in agreement.

“Jacob, it’s late and I know that no one wants to say anything else they will regret. We will let you rest,” Edward said.

I went up to Jacob and touched the back of his hand. He turned his hand over and clasped mine and squeezed. “He’s right. Rest, Jacob.” I kissed him on the cheek.

“Emily?” Jacob choked out.

“Once we hear something, you will be the next to know.” Edward told him.

As soon as we left Jacob’s room, I sagged against the wall and Edward captured my hand in his. “He didn’t mean any of it, B. He’s scared and needed to lash out at someone.”

“I know. I couldn’t imagine if...” I didn’t finish the thought out loud because it truly startled me. I couldn’t imagine how I would feel if I was in Jacob’s place and it was Edward who was fighting for his life. Edward belonged in my life. He wasn’t just my friend. He was the missing piece that I needed, to be who I was meant to be. Yes, I was Bella without him and my life was good. Hell, my life was incredible without him. But with this new Edward, my life was even better. “Let’s head back to the waiting room. I need to find out how Em is.”

It didn’t take long before a doctor came in to tell us that we had gotten a miracle. Emily had survived the surgery despite the odds. Her next hurdle was to survive the night which the doctors said would also likely require a miracle. I wondered how many miracles God would give my best friend.

We had promised to tell Jake how Emily was, but when we got to the floor, I couldn’t face him. Edward walked in the room. I head Jacob raise his voice then I heard his roar of pain. I sunk to the floor and wrapped my arms around my calves and cried for him, for Emily, for the bad luck that two such incredible people didn’t deserve to have. Edward walked out what felt like an eternity later. He looked like he had shed a few tears himself.

EPOV

I thought that Jacob Black was going to rip me limb from limb, when I entered his room. As soon as I told him I had news he demeanor totally changed. He demanded that I tell him everything that I knew. I simply nodded and told him what he never thought he would hear. If it were Bella, I wasn’t sure that I could survive it. She was everything to me and always would be.

Bella and I didn’t say a word as we headed to the Intensive Care Unit waiting area. A nurse came out and let Bella just peak her head in Emily’s room. When Bella returned, I wished that she hadn’t gone. She was in visible shock. I got a blanket from the nurse’s station and had Bella lay down to attempt to at least rest her eyes, even if she didn’t fall asleep.

She stretched out in the chair and placed her head in my lap. An hour or so had passed, but Bella wasn’t asleep yet, even though she hadn’t moved an inch other than to take a breath. I was rubbing my fingers through her hair. It was a technique that my mom used on me when I was little and couldn’t sleep. It never failed to relax me. I could feel the tension of the last eight hours slowly begin to leave her body. I heard Bella’s soft sigh. Another minute or so and she would be out like a light.

Suddenly an announcement had Bella shooting straight up. “Code Blue ICU 4. Code Blue ICU 4.”

“Emily!” Bella gasped.