Bella POV

He just sat there, staring off into space. Whatever I did, whatever I said, he just wouldn't respond. Everyone tried everything, but it was no use. Jasper had fled the house in frustration, unable to deal with the unique combination of self-loathing and pain that radiated from Edward.

"Bella," I heard Alice's voice tinkle behind me, "I need you."

I sighed, more wedding plans. I quickly hugged Edward and kissed him on the forehead, "I'll be back soon, if you need anything…"I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

He looked at me, offering up a weak smile, "I'll be fine," before returning to his position staring at the floor.

I followed Alice out of the room while she led me to Esme's studio.

"Hello Esme," I greeted the gentle woman I had come to regard as my second mother before turning back to Alice as she closed the door, "What is it today Alice? Flowers, catering, centerpieces?" I sighed once more.

Alice and Esme exchanged glances before Alice responded with, "This isn't about the wedding…this is about Edward."

"Do you know why he is feeling the way he does?" Esme inquired of me.

I shook my head, "He won't talk to me," I said, trying not to sound too dejected.

"Years ago, when Edward left Carlisle and myself he went….hunting," Esme said. I nodded, Edward told me that he had rebelled at some point after becoming a vampire and gone hunting after people instead of the animals that the Cullen's vegetarian lifestyle currently included. "Do you know why he came back?" Esme queried of me.

"He said he got sick of doing it…and what he had become."

Esme and Alice exchanged a glance before Esme continued, "I normally wouldn't tell you this Bella because it's not really my place, but I feel as if I have no choice." She paused before taking a breath to continue, "Edward followed a man down an alley where he thought the man was pursuing a young girl. The man was… but it turned out it was the man's daughter, but Edward didn't catch that in time." Esme stopped, seemingly unable to continue.

Alice picked up where Esme left off, "Edward killed the man, snapped his neck and sucked him dry…but not before making him suffer, not before the girl saw it. And then he realized what he had done. He heard the little girl's thoughts, she was only 5 or 6, she had ran off from her father in a crowded area of the city and he was coming to find her and take her home," Alice paused, taking in my expression of shock before she continued, "Edward fled, he never fully got over it."

I mulled this story over for moment before posing the question that was forming in my mind, "But why is it hitting him now, he's never mentioned it before?"

Esme replied, "Edward was in Seattle a week ago, he had gone to look for a wedding present for you," Esme smiled at her son's consideration before the well-known frown replaced it, "that's when he saw her."

My confused expression gave me away so Alice filled in the rest, "the little girl, she's quite old now, but Edward recognized her…and the girl him, she was very confused, she told her family, but they didn't believe her. Who would, a story about a man who didn't age who sucked her father's blood when she was so young? Her family probably thought her feeble."

"But Edward heard it all," Esme replied, "and now he's…." she trailed off, letting Edward's current state speak for itself.

They didn't speak and I tried to take everything in. I knew Edward had killed people, I knew he had hunted the bad ones for a while. I just didn't know this.

"How do we help him?" I asked

Esme smiled, "I always knew you were the one for Edward."

Alice jumped in, "We have an idea. I think it will work, but Edward's mind is…fuzzy and indecisive on such things. It will be up to you to help."

"What do I need to do?" I immediately asked. I would do anything for him, he was my life, my other half, my soul mate.

Alice and Esme exchanged a glance before Alice went to the closet and pulled out a shopping bag before handing it to me.

"What is this?" I inquired.

"What you need to do," Alice replied.

I opened it before pulling out some scraps of black lace…at least that's what they looked like to me, but there was little of it was hard to tell.

It was then that realization dawned on me while my eyes widened, "Alice…Esme…I don't…Edward won't…this.." I couldn't even forma coherent sentence.

"Now Bella," Esme replied, "Edward is very much...,"she searched for the right word," attracted to you."

"I'll say, Jasper practically jumps me every time he feels Edward's emotions around you," Alice grinned while I blushed. Esme shot her a look.

"Edward was rather...depressed and unhappy before you came into the picture, now he is vibrant and wonderful again. Do you now he had practically stopped playing the piano before you had come?" Esme said it as if there were no worse alternative in the world, "He's happy with you, part of that is emotional, but part of that is connected to the physical level, that's how it works with us," she stated, referring to vampires in general I assumed.

I found my voice once more, though how I have no idea, "But…how do you know this will work, Edward's very much against any sort of…activity," I blushed before continuing on, "I'm not sure he'll go for this."

"That's where you come in," Alice beamed.

"What do you mean?" I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice.

"You have to seduce him," she replied simply.

"How?!" I shouted before I could contain the words.

Before Alice could speak again, Esme intervened, "Bella, I would never ask you to do anything you weren't comfortable with, but I have feeling that you would have no problem with any sort of physical relationship with Edward," she paused and I looked down and nodded, biting my lip and embarrassed beyond belief, "there's no reason to be embarrassed Bella. It's perfectly normal; in fact, you could talk to Carlisle-"

"Please no," I shouted, interjecting, this was bad enough with Esme, but with Carlisle I didn't know what I would do, probably die of embarrassment right before his eyes.

She smiled, "Of course, it's just," she paused and looked errantly out the window, "I don't know what to do anymore, nothing works, I just…I'm his mother and I know I have no right to ask you," the words were coming in a blur, so fast I had to strain to hear them all," but you've saved him before, so many times, brought true happiness to this house, I must ask you again…Bella, please try," her eyes pleaded with me.

Sweet Esme, like my own mother, how could I say no to her. I nodded, "Esme, I'll try, but," I paused, trying to form the words around my embarrassment, "I don't really know how to do this," I spoke each word slowly and distinctly, unable to phrase my situation any better.

Alice jumped in, rushing over and putting her arms around me, "Don't worry, just go back to the room and put on the outfit, say you need his opinion on a wedding outfit, then just, go with it," she smiled, knowingly.

I groaned, "Very helpful Alice, you're not telling me something," it was a statement, not a question.

She smiled innocently, "Me, never."

Esme smiled, "we'll get everyone out of the house so you can have some privacy dear…do your best," she said heading to the door.

"Good luck," Alice kissed me on the cheek before exiting.

I groaned to myself, this would not be easy.