So, this is a new story. All human.

Characters belong to SM

EPOV

Beep Beep…

Damn it, Emmett better have a mighty fine good reason for calling me on vacation. I, Edward Cullen, am very lucky when it comes to life. I've worked with the FBI for six long years, and I was also able to retire at the young age of twenty-eight. I never got to do the secret agent thing, but I make a kick-ass bodyguard.

My phone beeped at me again, and I growled in aggravation. My parents, Esme and Carlisle, had sent me to the Florida Keys as a birthday gift.

As I had guessed, it was indeed my other brother Emmett. He works a police officer and loves his job. Not only is he a very large intimidating man, but he gets to carry a gun.

"Hey, Edward, I hope you get this message as fast as possible. We just report from the famous author Isabella Swan. Man, I can't explain it all to you over the phone. She refuses to give us all the information that we need, but it is obvious that she has been brutally beaten. Meet me at my apartment on Tuesday," Emmett's voice faded as the voicemail ended.

What day was it? I check my phone. Yup, of course, it was Monday, and my vacation was official over. Fuck my life. Emmett knew damn well that I had already retired after my last mission.

After a good yawn, I got up to take a shower.

"Damn it!" I yelled when I heard my phone ring from the bathroom. Hurrying out in only a towel, I caught Emmett while he was leaving another message.

"You better have a hell of a reason for calling me on my vacation," I growled into the phone.

"Edward, we need you to come out of retirement. Isabella Swan and her child are in danger from her husband, Mike Newton. She ran with her child and money while he was at work. I need you to come see me immediately," Emmett explained.

I sighed, "Why don't you get someone else to do the job? I'm retired, Emmett, you know that."

"You always told me how much you loved your job. We all need you to come back and help. You don't understand what this man is capable of," Emmett pleaded.

"Well, that is her fault. She is the one that married Mike, now isn't she?" I argued. "Besides, how bad can the man be?"

"Edward, I don't think you are hearing me. Isabella ran from him. I can't even describe her body for you. She's head to toe covered in bruises."

"Fine, I'll be at your apartment in New York this time tomorrow," I said clicking my phone shut before he could say anything else.

Grumbling, I boarded the plane, and prayed to God that a smelly old man wouldn't sit next to me. Pulling on a pair of dark shade, I noticed an average blond take a seat next to me. Her hair was pulled back, and she wore a pair of rose colored glasses. She didn't glace at me, but she did pull out a purple laptop. Mentally sighing, I noted how she seemed to be such a typical girl until I noticed a lime green peace sign in the corner. I sneaked a quick glace at her and noticed a simply leather band around her neck. I round piece of stone hung from it, and carved in the wood was another peace sign. Her fingers typed rapidly on the keyboard, and I found myself intrigued.

"What are you typing?" the words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

She didn't look up from the screen. "I type romance stories and post them online for others to read."

"Why don't you become an author?"

She blushed. "My stories are meant to stay private. I don't think anyone with a real life would want to read them."

She stopped typing and slipped her laptop back into her carry-on bag. I hadn't noticed that the plane was about to land. Wow, that had been a really short ride. Without another word, the flower power child stood and left the plane. She flashed a peace to me without turning back.


What is the possibility of that? My inner voice said. That was totally a sign that you should take the job. Peace and love could come from this. Besides, Isabella is a famous author.

Ha! I laughed back. I, Edward Cullen, have never fallen in love, and I plan on keeping it that way.

I grabbed my luggage and head for the exit. Climbing in silver Volvo I had left behind, I made my way to Emmett's apartment. I didn't even know what this Isabella Swan looked or what she wrote about.

Dreading what was coming next, I knocked on the door to Emmett's apartment. I beautiful brunette answered. She looked terrified.

"Uh, is this Emmett Cullen's home?" I asked stunned by the beauty before me.

She nodded silently and opened the door to me.

"Mommy!" a little girl came running down the hall. "That big scary man is just a giant teddy bear! I stubbed my toe, but he kissed it to make it all better."

Something warm wrapped around my leg. I looked from Bella's face that was twisted with horror down to my leg. The little girl was cling to me.

"Have you come to keep the monster away from Mommy and me?" her brown chocolate eyes melted as she looked up at me.

"Yeah, I have," I said with hard voice.

The little girl looked frightened and ran back to her mother. She whispered something in her ear. My sharp ears caught what she was saying anyway.

"Mommy, he scares me, and I already know he doesn't like me,"

So, the little girl was a mind reader. It was true that I disliked children very much, and having to live with one was not going to make my life any easier.

"Melody, go play with Emmett, I would like to have a word with our protector," she instructed.

"Miss Swan, I do believe that you will not want to make yourself comfortable. There is a house already ready for our arrival, and I don't like to waste time,"

"Please, call me Bella," the woman said.

"Bella," I tried her name on my tongue. "Well, Bella, like I was saying, the house is protected by a iron gate that is nearly impossible to scale, monitors in every direction, top of the line security, and me."

She nodded and proceeded down the hall to where I assumed my brother was hiding. I found him bouncing Bella's child on his knee. Emmett had always been fond of children and was currently try to have a baby of his own with his wife, Rosalie.

"Mel, it's time to go. We need to get you to you to our new home," Bella said.

The little girl frowned. "But I like it here! Uncle Emmett gives me piggy-back rides!"

"Uncle Emmett? What the hell?" I asked.

Bella gave me a hard look. "Please refrain yourself from speaking that way in front of my child."

I looked down at the child, and she wore a stunned face. Without break our gaze, she tugged on Bella's pant leg. Bella picked her and listened like a good mother should.

My sensitive ears picked up her voice once again. "Mommy, he said hell. Uncle Em likes it when I call him that, but he would never say that to me."

Ah, so Emmett was treating Bella's daughter as his until he could have one of his own. Emmett was so predictable. I rolled my eyes as Emmett strolled down the hallway carrying two suitcases.

"I'm going to make a stop a J's place so we can get Bella and Melody a fake I.D. Please take Mel and Bella up to the," he looked around to see if anyone was peeking in the window, "up to the house in the woods."

Emmett and I worked together before I retired, but I knew that the particular house he had sent us to was top secret. It was located in the tiny
town of Forks, Washington. Another thing about the house was that it was absolutely grand.

"Put the bags in the truck, Emmett," I instructed.

He exited the front door, and I faced Bella. "As soon as you and your daughter enter the house, the two of you will never be the same. Bella, you will never be called Bella unless you are with me or my family in private but never in public. If your daughter wishes to attend school, I will tutor her myself."

The little girl had her face tucked into her mother, but Bella nodded silently and followed me to the car.

We drove all the way to Washington so we would leave no track of where we had been. Three days later, we arrived at the mansion in the woods.

"This is your room," I pointed inside to a large purple room. Bella's daughter squealed with glee and ran inside. Bella picked her up so we could show her our rooms in case she needed. I silently prayed she would never come to me with a problem. I led them into a plain room. Directly in the middle was a king-sized bed with a wrought iron frame. To the left of the room was a large bookcase filled with hundreds of books and music albums.

"This is my room. You two are not to enter unless you come to me with an emergency," my voice was tight, and I felt my throat close up momentarily.

I silently led them out and brought them to Bella's room. The room was a big as any other, and the plain pale on pale theme was comforting. I tried to escape from the room as fast as possible, but Bella held me back with questions.

"Emmett told me that I should have you inspect my injuries," she said a rosy blush rushed to her pale cheeks. I nodded in response, and Bella sent her daughter to her room.

"Strip," I ordered.

Her face was completely red was embarrassment. Shyly, she began to remove her clothing piece by piece. She was extremely beautiful. Not only was her face flushed, but so was her chest. Fortunately, she was so beaten that I couldn't even get a hard on. She was blacker than she was white, and I began to worry that her condition was far worse than I thought. A small wrap was around her ankle. I pointed at it.

"Did he-

"No," she answered, "you will quick see that I am not a graceful person. I trip over one of the stairs, but fortunately didn't fall all the way down."

I mentally signed in relief. Her chest was heavily blackened in the shape of hand prints, and I felt repulsed. Bella must have seen my rejection because she flushed again and began to pick up her clothing.

"Sorry about that," she whispered quietly, "I'll begin dinner."

Without another word, she dismissed herself, and I was left stunned in my spot.

When dinner finally rolled around, I was pleased to find out that Bella was a fantastic cook. Even though she had made a simple meal of pasta, it was delectable. Her daughter ate it faster than I did and claimed it to be her favorite food.

After helping the two girls clear the table, I left for my room without signaling a good-night.

My door creaked, and I sat up looking around. The little girl had entered my room and was making her way to my bedside.

"Mommy is having nightmares again!" her voice was terrorized.

Grumbling, I followed her to Bella's room. As soon as I reached her door, I became panicked. Her screams were audible from the other side, and I rushed through the door. Stunning and unable to think of what to do, I stared at Bella in horror. Her body twisted up weird as she screamed for help. The name "Mike," came from her lips, and I froze again. She was having nightmares of her past abuse.

"Hold her, Daddy!" The little girl screamed.

I turned to her and gave her a dead stare. "I'm not you father."

Silent tears streamed down her face as she ran out of the room. Great, now I had two upset girls in my home. I cradled Bella in my arms and her sobs and screams quieted down until she was fast asleep. I heard sniffling in the girl's room. Sighing, I made my way in. As soon as she realized I was in her room, she turned away from me.

"Go away," she said quietly.

I would have been happy to comply, but I knew what I had to do. I sat down on the edge of her bed and cradled her as I had done to her mother. She quickly snuggled into me before I had a chance to change my mind. Stroking her hair like I had seen her mother do affectionately, I whispered soothing words. Surprisingly, the actions seemed natural, and a hundred memories flooded my mind.

"I don't have a real daddy," she mumbled into my chest snapping me out of my daze.

"You don't need a father, do you?" I asked. "You have a wonderful mother who loves you more than her own life."

I couldn't understand what was making me say these things. She wouldn't understand them, but it felt right to say them.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice was faint and drawn out.

"What are you thanking me for?" I asked seriously,

"Thank you for saving Mommy and me."