I pulled into the driveway and parked next to Rosalie's red convertible but did not get out. I sat there with my hands still on the steering wheel staring at my pale skin. I was not eager to face my family but...it was undeniably my responsibility.

Edward...

Alice's silent voice drifted to me in the garage. I sighed and got out of my car and made my way slowly towards the others in the dining room. What was I going to say? What was there to say? All there was to do was tell them that Bella would not betray me...that somehow she cared for me and would not betray my family.

She cared for me - the thought still stunned me.

Carlisle was sitting at the head of the table with Esme behind him with her hands on his shoulders. Alice was perched on a chair, her eyes watching Jasper pace up and down the length of the room, and Emmet and Rosalie were in the corner.

Idiot! Selfish prick! Arrogant jackass!

Once again, Rosalie was demonstrating the sheer volume of her mental voice. I ignored her and sat next to Carlisle.

"She knows," I clarified.

"Yes," agreed Carlisle. I looked up at him.

"What the hell were you thinking? Telling her?" yelled Rosalie. She pushed off from the wall and glared at me. "How could you jeopardize our lives here over some...human?" She spat.


"Her name is Bella," I snarled. Esme moved towards Rosalie but she shrugged her off. I looked down at the table again as she stalked out of the room.

"Edward why exactly did you tell her?" asked Emmett.

"I didn't tell her," I answered truthfully, looking up at him. "You can blame Jacob Black for that."

11. Complications

Once again I found myself staring at the steering wheel. I glanced up as Bella shut the door behind her without bolting the lock. I looked down again before she could see me. I felt my mouth reluctantly curling into a smile as I saw her hesitate in my peripheral vision. As she finally flopped into the seat beside me I turned to gaze at her face, my eyes lingering on her full lips.

"Good morning." My eyes moved to the circles under her eyes. "How are you today?"

"Good, thank you."

"You look tired."

"I couldn't sleep," she replied, shielding herself from my scrutiny behind her long brown hair. I started the engine.

"Neither could I," I joked to try to lighten the mood.

I was rewarded with her melodious laughter.

"I guess that's right. I suppose I slept just a little bit more than you did."

"I'll wager you did."

"So what did you do last night?" she asked.

"Not a chance," I laughed. "It's my day to ask questions."

"Oh, that's right. What did you want to know?" The pucker in her forehead appeared.

"What's your favourite colour?"

Bella rolled her eyes as she told me it changed from day to day. She must have noticed my solemn tone.

"What's your favourite colour today?"

"Probably brown."

Brown? I snorted, loosing my intensity. "Brown?"

"Sure. Brown is warm. I miss brown. Everything that's supposed to be brown - tree trunks rocks, dirt - is all covered up with squashy green stuff here," complained Bella. I stared into her eyes and found she was correct. There was nothing warmer than her chocolate brown eyes.

"You're right. Brown is warm," I agreed. I stared as wisp of her soft hair fell in front of her eyes. My hand moved on its own accord to touch her warm tresses and I did not try to resist the sudden urge to sweep it back so that I could look at her face more clearly. Suddenly the fire was upon me, I could feel the monster within fighting at the cage I'd imprisoned in. I looked back at the road just as we pulled into the school parking lot. "What music is in your CD player right now?"

"...Linkin Park." I smiled as I realized a CD by the band was in my car. I opened the compartment below the stereo and handed the disc to Bella.

"Debussy to this?" Bella stared at the CD in her hands, her eyes taking in the cover art; but I was not looking at the album. I was looking at her eyes and the faint blush that rose on her fair cheeks. It was the same disc. I smiled again as I got out of the car and opened her door. Was she comfortable with me taking care of her? Or was she just too preoccupied with the CD?

No, matter. She was going to have to get used to being treated like the lady she was, especially if she was so determined to remain near me. The thought filled me with mixed emotions. Joy and wonder that I was the one she'd chosen and anger and resentment towards the fact that she did not run. Pain that there would always be a necessity for her to run; frustration that regardless of the danger she would not run.

I arranged my features into a smile when she looked up at me. I reached for her backpack and started walking towards the school beside her. This was possibly the best day of my entire existence. I could not see into Bella's mind but I was now free to ask her any question I could think of. And she answered them, rarely blushing but each time I saw the rosy hue a new stream of questions erupted into my head. 'Why did she blush?' being one of many.

There was one such time in the cafeteria when I inquired her preferred gemstone. She'd answered topaz and immediately her face flushed a gorgeous shade but her reaction puzzled me. It was such an innocent question and yet had triggered such a reaction.

"Tell me," I demanded, anxious and curious to know why she was embarrassed. All persuasion had failed to work so I tried being blunt. Bella looked down at her hands that played with her hair. I remembered the softness from earlier in my Volvo.

"It's the colour of your eyes today." She continued to stare down but my mind was flying at a million miles per second. Topaz was her favourite stone because it reminded her of my eyes. "I suppose if you asked me in two weeks I'd say onyx," she continued. Her blush darkened further than I thought was possible.

I recall asking her a number of other questions before the end of lunch but half of my brain was greatly occupied by the small piece of information she had given me. Once more I was tormented with a quarrel of emotions. Once again I was filled with pleasure that she would even think such a thing and yet this feeling was mirrored with self-loathing.

When Mr. Banner entered the room with the audiovisual frame I slid my chair slightly away from Bella. However it did no good. It was as if I were pressed up against Bella's warm skin. The heat of her hit me like an unrelenting wave and the urge to touch her seemed to have grown. I glanced at her and saw she was resting her head on the table, with her arms tucked under neck. Her fingers gripped the edge of the table and her back was tense. Ah...so I was not the only one aware of the other. I smirked.

Bella did not look at me the entire hour, but instead stared at the screen with such intensity that I was sure she would burn a hole through it. The time passed by slowly but I was content to simply gaze at her slender back - the soft feminine curve of her spine. Despite her loose brown sweater I could still see the shape of her hips.

And then I realized I was not the only one thinking this.

The vile Mike Newton was daydreaming of the sweet girl beside me.

I bit back a growl at the images he sent rolling through my mind. Of Bella glancing impishly over her shoulder with her teeth pressed into her lush bottom lip. Her back arched as she gazed into Newton's depthless eyes. Of the video miraculously ending and Mr. Banner letting the class out early. Of Bella pulling the perverted Newton out of the room and down the hall to a side entrance. Of her pushing him against the side of the school and capturing his weak lips with hers...of her sweet tongue caressing his. Of her pressing herself against his chest and of his hands sliding down her back lower...and lower.

I clenched the sides of my seat as pure fury washed through me. An image of my own flitted into my head...of Newton crashing into the screen Mr. Banner had installed at the front of the class. Of poor Newton's head lolling to the side after it jerked from the impact.

My hands did not loosen until Mr. Banner turned on the lights and Bella glanced back at me and not at Mike. Only then did I breathe again. I rose without a word and waited as she grabbed her books and bag. We walked slowly towards the gymnasium and when she turned to face me I could not resist stroking her face. I almost gasped from the heat as the back of my hand slid from her temple to her jaw, all the while getting lost in her eyes. I turned away before I would loose control. But once again not for thirst of her blood, but for a different hunger. One that I could not explain.

I walked quickly to my Spanish class and ignoring Emmett's glance and my muscles tightening in my stomach as I sat in the desk next to him.

What's wrong with you? Thought she liked you back. He winked.

My jaw tightened.

Or is that the problem? Emmett grinned. Suffering little bro?

I stared straight ahead.

Feeling the burn? Got some pent up tension? Emmet chuckled beside me.

I growled just lowed enough for him to hear. He laughed again. Mrs. Goff glanced at him.

"Hay un problema, Emmet?" She asked.

"No, todo está muy bien. Me perdona," he answered. The class continued to drone on in the same monotonous manner. The only escape I had was a sad one at that. It was through Newton's ghastly mind that I could keep my sanity by watching Bella through his eyes. Her gym class was playing badminton as well, however today Bella remained to the side of the court. Newton stood in the centre practically playing one on two. I rarely got a glance at Bella since Newton was occupied with the birdie but every now and then he would look to see if she was watching him. I almost laughed out loud like Emmett several times when I saw her completely ignoring him. Instead of watching Newton she was staring at the clock, watching the hand go round and round. As soon as the bell rang she threw a quick wave in the general area of Newton and sped off towards the changing rooms.

I got up from the desk and left Emmett in the hall, he heading to Rosalie's class and I to the gymnasium. I leaned against the wall facing the doors.

Bella was only a few minutes but I was anxious to see her with my own eyes rather than through our peers. When she opened the door and saw me, a huge smile lit up her face and I felt one of my own appear to match hers.

"How was gym?" I asked, playing my part.

"Extremely dull," she scowled. "I hardly played." We started to walk towards the parking lot.

"Yes you stayed on the sidelines today," I agreed as her eyes narrowed.

"You -"

"What's your first memory?" I interrupted with a small smile on my face,

Her scowl returned with the addition of the pucker in her forehead.

"Um...I don't know."

"Bella..." I looked down at her. "Was it here in Forks?" She shook her head.

"No I remember sun," she smiled.

"Is that what you miss most about Pheonix?"

"Partly yes...but if I moved back I would miss the clouds too." We had reached the Volvo. I looked across the roof at her.

"Really?"

"You go away when it's sunny," she said, staring into my eyes. And I stared back until she opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. I stared at where her head used to be and then joined her in the cab.

"So what was your first memory? You never answered."

"I think it was outside our old house in Phoenix...I don't know...that's a hard question...would it be fair to ask you yours?" I smiled.

"No it probably wouldn't and mine would have been further in the past. Quite a long time span." I turned the corner onto the highway leading to Bella's house. I continued to pester her with questions and to my intense joy she answered them. It was a gift to have her just talk...like a window into her mind...the way that she thought. The time flew by once we arrived at her house with us just sitting in my car. However when she was describing her room in Phoenix my eyes took in the time of day and I paused after she had finished.

"Are you finished?" she asked, a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Not even close - but your father will be home soon."

"Charlie!" She sighed, looking out the front window at the dark sky. "How late is it?"

"It's twilight," I answered. I looked at the western horizon; despite the fact that it was hidden with clouds I could still see the last rays of the sun as it sunk below the horizon. I looked back at her. "Its the safest time of day for us. The easiest time. But also the saddest, in a way...the end of another day, the return of the night. Darkness is so predictable, don't you think?" I smiled.

"I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars," her mouth frowned. "Not that you see them here much."

I laughed; her mind did not function in the expected way. Not matter how many times she surprised me with her train of thought it still astounded me.

"Charlie will be here in a few minutes. So, unless you want to tell him that you'll be with me Saturday..." I said with a raised brow. Did she notice the hopeful edge of my tone?

"Thanks, but no thanks." She grabbed her books from by her feet. "So is it my turn tomorrow, then?"

"Certainly not! I told you I wasn't done, didn't I?" I teased.

"What more is there?"

"You'll find out tomorrow." I reached across her to open the door for her and if my heart pumped blood it would have stopped at the closeness of her. But my hand froze on the handle. There was a familiar stench on the wind. "Not good."

"What is it?"

I met her eyes. "Another complication." I opened the door and moved away from her. A dark car pulled up to the curb a few feet away facing us. Quileutes. "Charlie's around the corner." His car was coming into view; soon Bella would see it too. Bella hopped out and I could see the confusion in her eyes. I stared ahead through the rain into the cab of Billy Black's car in defiance. I was not on their territory. I could be here, next to Bella. I revved the engine and sped away, the tires squealing behind me on the wet road. As I drove passed the car I saw Billy Black's jaw tighten and the young one looking at Bella. I stared ahead as I drove passed Charlie's cruiser. Before I turned the corner I looked at my mirror back behind me, at Bella greeting the two Quileutes and of Charlie laughing as he got out of his car.