This is a Bad Mother's Handbook & Twilight cross over story that was inspired by the British TV movie The Bad Mother's Handbook. It was the first thing I saw of Rob's acting chops after HP4, and it solidified my interest

SUMMARY: Bella moves to FL for grad school where she first falls in love, or at least that's what she thinks at the time. Nerd-a-licious Brit Daniel Gale moves to America to escape from his past. What happens when these two meet? Can they help heal each other's heartache? All Human. Cannon Couples. Alternate Universe. Lemony Goodness.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight or The Bad Mother's Handbook or any of the songs or movies mentioned in this story. I just like to put the characters in nerdy situations. I DO have my very own nerd-a-licious husband who I'm basing part of Daniel's character on in this story. I LOVE MY NERD!

SONGS: Blur: Song 2; Pink Floyd: Another Brick in the Wall; Alanis Morrisette: Perfect, You Oughta Know; Chung King: Following; Jessica Simpson: Irresistiable

I want to give a shout out to my dearest darlings BELLE DEAN & D THE_FANGIRL…you guys are pretty much the BEST BETAS that I know of! Muah! *hugs*

PROLOGUE: REMINISCING

Bella Swan's POV

BEEP,BEEP….BEEP,BEEP, BEEP….BEE- ….slam! Groan.

I open my eyes and glare at my alarm clock.

8:15 am… great.

I yawn, stretch, and will myself to get out of bed for another day.

I had been working in the lab last night until 1 o'clock and didn't actually get to bed until around 2.

Perfect. This would be yet another day in a series of never ending weeks of experiments without enough sleep. Let's face it, six hours of sleep are just not enough. I hope I can still be productive today… I must get coffee soon or I'll be grumpy.

I turn on the shower and brush my teeth while waiting for the water to turn hot. Staring at my tired reflection in the mirror my mind wanders to the reason for my current state of sleep deprivation.

I'm currently in my fourth year of graduate school in pursuit of a PhD in biomedical research at the University of Florida in Gainesville. I'm 26 years old, but lately I have been working so much that I feel much older. I'm always so tired. Thinking back to where this all began, I smile as I wash my hair.

Eight years ago when I was eighteen, I started college as an undergrad. I changed my major from English to Biology after taking an introduction to Biology course in the fall of my freshman year. What can I say? It was love at first lecture. My favorite thing was the bench work that I do in the lab. Working with cells, viruses, DNA, bacteria, and other microscopic organisms fascinates me. I can't stand dealing with sick people which is why I went the scientific route instead of becoming a medical doctor.

Four years later, I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Biology from the University of Washington. In the spring prior to my graduation, I I Ihad been accepted into a prestigious biomedical research program at the University of Florida. With my acceptance letter in hand, I took an eight-week trip to visit Renee and Phil in Jacksonville Beach after graduation. It was a much-needed break after the intense four years I'd just been through.

Phil plays shortstop for the Jacksonville Suns. He was at practice a lot during my visit, but we managed to spend time together when he was home. We would run with their five year old Vizla, Rosa, on the beach, go to the batting cages, play board games, and watch movies.

Renee and I would spend our days at the beach and shopping. We would chat for hours on end about everything from boys I dated in college to the latest news from Charlie in Forks. I didn't realize how much I missed my mom until I was there visiting.

Phil, Renee, and I had family dinners every night. I got to cook in their brand new kitchen because despite her best efforts, my mother could still burn water. Some nights Carmen and Eleazar, their next-door neighbors, would come and eat with us.

Friday nights were the most fun because Renee and I would go to the ballpark for the evening game and fireworks. She glowed with pride when she watched Phil play ball. I never felt closer to my mom and Phil than I did during that visit, and was even more excited that I would be living so close for school. When I moved to Gainesville I would be a quick hour and a half drive away from them, and honestly I was looking forward to seeing my mother more often.

Before moving to Gainesville to start the program, I took one final trip back to Forks, Washington to pack up my old room at Charlie's. Looking around my bedroom, I saw photos of myself with Angela, Ben, Jessica, and Mike- my friends from high school. They were the only ones who really knew me back then, and kept the school days from being so horribly boring.

Forks was a very small town, and didn't offer much for teenagers to do. We would go to La Push beach on the weekends when it wasn't raining, camping, hiking, and surfing the Pacific waves. Then there were the nights that we spent smoking weed and listening to music in Mike's basement. We would laugh for hours at the neon chalk drawings we made on the floor by black light when we were high. The groovy sounds Pink Floyd were our favorite. We didn't smoke very often, but it was something to do. Mike and I were sort of together for a short while back then. He was more into me than I was into him, and eventually I ended our relationship.

My relationship with Charlie was more like having a roommate than a parent. He was usually working overtime at the station. One of the many perks of being chief of police was that he had to pick up extra shifts if one of the officers called out sick. He gave me my independence, but I still had a curfew on school nights. We got along really well. I was lucky that he never caught my friends and me with Mary Jane.

Charlie started dating Sue Clearwater my senior year of high school. They complemented one another quite well. I didn't want Charlie to be alone once I left for Seattle in the fall to go to college. Now, four years later Sue and Charlie were blissfully married. They were so in love in fact that I couldn't wait to get out of there. Their togetherness was just another thing reminding me of my overall lack of a love life.

The first year of my doctorate program was grueling to say the least. All sixty students in my year of the program had to complete the very rigorous core courses covering the science basics like biochemistry, genetics, virology, and immunology. The top experts in their respective fields taught our core courses. How well we did this year influenced where we were going to be able to work later doing our actual research for our degrees. We all felt the pressure to do our best and impress our prospective future bosses.

Luckily, at the new student orientation I found that I had Alice Brandon as my student mentor. Alice, who is two years older than me, is a beautiful, petite, spiky raven-haired, green-eyed girl. Over the years she has become the sister I never had. She's also from Forks.

Alice is dating Jasper Whitlock Cullen, a tall, lanky, guy with long wavy blond hair and blue eyes. Jasper's British, and his parents Drs. Carlisle Cullen and Esme Whitlock-Cullen are professors at UF. Carlisle teaches graduate students in the biomedical research program I'm in, and Esme teaches interior design. It was through Alice and Jasper at orientation that I met Daniel Gale.

"Hey Pix!" Jasper said, greeting Alice with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hi Jazzy," Alice replies, wrapping an arm around her boyfriend, "Who's this?"

"Pix, this is Daniel Gale. He's my cousin from England. Daniel, this is my ball and chain Alice Brandon," Jasper said introducing them. Alice playfully hit Jasper's arm giggling.

"Hello. It's a pleasure meeting you," Daniel said shyly, shaking Alice's hand.

"It's great to meet you too Daniel. Jasper has told me all about you! Oh, have you guys met my new friend?" Alice said, gesturing towards me as I blushed crimson.

"Daniel, Jazzy, this is Bella Swan. She's from Forks too. I never thought I'd meet anyone else from my hometown down here. Bella, this is my British Beefcake, Jasper Whitlock. We'll take good care of you guys," Alice said, beaming at Daniel and me.

At first glance most girls, myself included, would not stop to look at Daniel. He was about 6'2" and lanky. His shaggy auburn hair was swept forward on his forehead almost hiding his eyes completely. He wore black-framed glasses, and clothing that looked sort of retro. I didn't give him any more thought at the time, especially since I was dating Demetri.

At the thought of Demetri I shudder. We dated for two years when I first started grad school, and even though I broke it off a year ago now, it still hurt to think about. During my undergrad college years I had immersed myself in studying so I could get into a good graduate program. I had always been a loaner, and I didn't really date anyone seriously. I had had a few boyfriends for short periods of time, but I was too distracted with school to be one-hundred percent into the guys I was dating. Before the guys could get too attached, I would end the relationship.

Then when I first moved to Gainesville prior to starting my first year of graduate school, I met Demetri as I was checking my mailbox at my apartment complex. He was tall, dark haired, and handsome with deep brown eyes, and a bright friendly smile. Demetri was eastern European, and had an accent that made me weak in the knees. I felt an instant attraction to him, and accepted his coffee invitation on our first meeting.

We became fast friends, and soon began an exclusive relationship. Demetri was also a graduate student studying music composition and film scoring. In the beginning of our relationship we spent every moment we weren't in school together. He would serenade me with original works, bring me flowers, take me to dinner, dancing, the movies, art festivals, you name it. I fell for him hard and fast. I loved being pampered, wined, and dined by my first real love.

As time went on Demetri's behavior toward me changed. He began to criticize every little thing I did or said, telling me that I was stupid if I didn't score high on an exam or if my opinion differed from his own. Demetri would get jealous of the guys in my study groups because I was spending time with them instead of him. He accused me of cheating on him every time I got a call from one of my study buddies. I only had time to go to lecture and study when I wasn't with him, and he knew this. He began to spend less time with me, and more time in the studio recording new music for his thesis. I would come home exhausted from a long intense day at school, and he would demand that I drop whatever it was I was doing, and go with him to do what he wanted. His mood swings gave me whiplash, and I walked on eggshells around him.

Not knowing any better, I believed that he was treating me the way you treat the one you love, and I was desperate to please him. I believed the nasty things he would tell me about myself. Then one day I walked in on him screwing his adviser Lauren in the recording studio, and it crushed me. Brokenhearted, my self esteem in the toilet, I immersed myself in my schoolwork, the only thing that could distract me. Even though this happened about a year ago, I still have nightmares sometimes.

During the second year, the classes were geared more towards my specialty concentrations, which were genetics and virology. During that period, I had three 6-week rotations in different labs so I could decide which lab I wanted to work in for my degree. This is where I would be doing actual experiments, gathering data, and hopefully getting a couple good papers about my research published in a well known scientific journal, like Science or Nature.

I chose to work in Dr. Carlisle Cullen's lab, or the "C lab" as his students lovingly called it. Dr. Cullen was highly esteemed in the field of virology. His research focused on Kaposi Sarcoma, a herpes virus. Not only was he a brilliant scientist, he was the best looking doctor in the entire program.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen was tall, muscular, had sandy blond hair, piercing blue eyes, a killer pantie dropping smile, and amazing bone structure. He had a very calming fatherly nature, Jazz was so lucky to have Carlisle as his dad, and treated all of his lab students like they were one of his own children. Hence, all of his virology courses were packed full of young ladies, and a few guys who were lucky enough to snag a seat.

I was not attracted to Dr. Cullen's model-like features, like all the other girls. Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to looking at a handsome man. I was not at school to "shag" a professor, as Jasper so eloquently put it. I wanted to become the best scientist I could. I appreciated Dr. C's interactive lecture style, intelligence, and genuine caring for his students' success. I immediately felt welcome by Alice, Jacob, Garrett, and Kate during my six-week rotation in the lab. When Carlisle formally offered me a position in his lab, I eagerly accepted. I happily came to work daily knowing I had a supportive boss and co-workers in addition to the projects that intrigued me. I had been working with Dr. Cullen and his team as a doctoral candidate after passing my qualifying exam during my third year.

So, now I'm in my fourth year, and at the point of my program where the pressure is on to get good data for a paper.

Snapping out of my reminiscing daydream I glance down at my watch. It is already 8:50am, and I have a lab meeting that begins at 9 o'clock that I need to be present for.

It's a typical Florida day in early June, humid and scorching hot. Opening the door to the outside world I hit the wall of heat and humidity…ugh, who decided to build civilization in a damn swamp? I jump into my red Toyota Sequoia, crank the AC on full blast, shoot Carlisle a text that I'm on my way, and arrive to work on time for the lab meeting.

~~~~~~~~ SCAPD ~~~~~~~~

After a long day in the lab, I'm sitting at a table in the medical sciences library on campus reading a paper on Kaposi Sarcoma in Virology Today magazine. The library is enormous. There are tables scattered sporadically among the tall shelves of hundreds of volumes of medical reference books. I'm here for a change of scenery from my lab. It's nice to get away and find a quiet place so that I can concentrate on the article I'm reading.

I finish reading the article, and gather my stuff to leave. I push the chair back and take two steps before tripping over a huge medical dictionary that is lying randomly on the floor.

"Fuck me sideways!" I yell louder than intended as my books and papers fly out of my arms and scatter all over the floor.

I hear a soft chuckle as a pair of strong familiar hands with long fingers quickly reaches out to catch me.

I gasp quietly as I turn around and look up into blue-gray eyes that are somewhat hidden beneath shaggy auburn hair and black framed spectacles.

In that moment, I realize Daniel Gale is my fantasy guy brought to life. I have known him for four years and now see past his disheveled clothing, black framed glasses, and shaggy auburn hair that's always falling in his face. He's British, and the tone and sound of his voice is very soothing, exotic, and sexy. He has a two-day-old scruff shadow on his face that accentuates his chiseled jaw line.

Today he's wearing a light blue short-sleeved tee shirt with large golden block print that says "Yes, I am a superhero, you just don't recognize me with my glasses on." It's un-tucked as usual. I see the toned muscles in his arms as he helps me stand up. I never realized how muscular his body is. The rest of his ensemble is khaki cargo shorts, and black and white Nike shoes. He looks really good. His outfit actually fits him, and is a nice change from the over sized clothing he typically wears.

"Bella, are you alright?" Daniel asks while helping me right myself on my own feet.

Ah! There's the accent that I love hearing!

I swoon. Oh, how his accent does things to my girlie parts, and the glasses… just wow! No, STOP IT! I yell internally at myself. I'm not good enough to be with him.

"Yes," I squeak, and blush. "I think I'll be alright now. Books on the floor aren't exactly good to be around when you're uncoordinated."

Daniel smiles at me, and hands me a stack of my papers from the floor. When our hands touch I feel a jolt of electricity pass between us. Did he just feel that too…hmm? I have never felt that with anyone…not even Demetri.

"Thanks," I say, organizing my jumbled papers.

"Anytime. What are you doing here so late? I thought I was the only one who doesn't have a life outside of the lab," Daniel replies, blushing slightly.

"Oh, um, I was just reading an article on Kaposi Sarcoma in Virology Today. I'm done reading it now though, and was heading home before you caught me."

"Oh…uh…Have you had tea yet?"

"Tea? Sorry, I don't usually drink tea."

"Oh, sorry. I mean have you eaten tonight?"

"Oh, you mean dinner? No, I haven't had dinner yet."

"W-Would you like to have dinner with me? That is if you don't already have plans. I'm sure your boyfriend would be quite upset if…"

"I- I don't have plans or a boyfriend." The last part I say quietly. "I don't know...it's getting kinda late."

"I understand if you don't want to-," he says frowning.

"No! I-I want to," I blurt out. Now I sound desperate, great!

"Really?" he asks, a smile returning to his face.

"Yeah. I was just going to go home and eat whatever I have there, but it would be nice to go out, and not be alone," I reply, returning his smile.

"Great, I'll take you somewhere casual so we can just talk and relax," he says beaming.

"Where do you wanna go?" I ask.

"Um, how about Farah's?" He suggests.

"That sounds great, I love Farah's. Did you drive to campus today?"

"No, I rode my bike."

"Well, um, do you, uh, want a lift?"

"Thanks that would be lovely."

We walk out of library into the muggy Florida night. It's our first time being alone together, and I'm nervous as hell.

AN: I am basing Demetri on my RL 1st boyfriend. I mean no offense to anyone by having him being European.

Dinner with Daniel for reviews….please let me know what you think ;-P