I hope you guys like this one as much as I do.

I was waiting alone under a dim street lamp in Central Park for my brother to meet me. This isn't the ideal situation for someone, especially a girl, who lives in New York City. I glanced down at my watch realizing not only is he two hours late but that he is a complete ass for not calling me. I grabbed all of my crap and headed towards the subway.

I walk into a compartment that is nearly empty and sit down in the very back. There is only one other person in there with me and he looks a little shady, so I watch him carefully expecting anything. I am not normally paranoid but the crime rate has gone up a lot lately especially in the subway. We came to a gentle halt at the next stop and two guys joined us.

It was completely quiet until they got on and then it was annoyingly noisy. They were being completely obnoxious and loud. I tried to ignore them but it seemed to be useless. They noticed me in the back and started yelling obscene things at me but I paid them no attention. I sat there just being ready to punch anyone if I needed to when the man in the front stood and yelled from under his hood, "Why don't you guys shut the fuck up and leave her alone!" There was something about his voice that sounded very familiar but I couldn't place it.

The two guys looked at each other and turned towards him. I quickly searched in my purse for my cell, but of course no signal. I looked at the two punks getting closer and pushing this poor guy around. He obviously hasn't been in New York long enough to know that minding your own business is vital for survival. The mystery man was holding his own and not giving his attackers any ground.

I was still sitting there in amazement of this stranger when one of the ass holes punched him in the face. I couldn't just sit here while this poor guy got beat up, so I stood and yelled to get their attention, "It must be easy to be a bad ass when it's two against one." The guy closest to me turn and headed in my direction; I could feel my heart beat racing as I tried to remember the few karate lessons I took years ago. The only thing that seemed to stand out was the instructor saying 'karate is for defense only' and that wasn't going to help me here.

My brain was failing me which wasn't a big surprise. I looked around me getting ready for anything to happen as he stuck his hand out and moved my hair out of my face. "Don't you worry bitch we will take care of you in good time." I would have bit his hand but who knows what diseases he has. I saw a glass beer bottle rolling on the ground and quickly formed a plan. He took one more fatal step closer to me, which but him in perfect range for my knee. Now I would never do this to any man if it weren't necessary and this definitely was.

His hand was grazing my cheek as I raised my knee into him and he fell down to his knees. I reached down and grabbed the beer bottle and smacked him in the head, as he toppled over I raised the remaining bottle to his friend. He raised his arms in defeat and ran off the train as we stopped. I grabbed my purse and got off the train as well.

I didn't even notice the man who came to my rescue was walking with me or that I still had the broken bottle in my hand until I was a block away from the subway. "You can put the broken bottle down; if I wanted to hurt you I would have a long time ago." I looked at him and dropped the bottle and it shattered at my feet, and then my adrenaline wore off. I was shaking uncontrollably and I thought for sure I would fall apart with this poor guy standing here when my phone brought me back to reality. "Hello." "Bella I am so sorry I got held up at work and couldn't get to a phone. Please tell me you aren't still waiting for me." Nathaniel's voice calmed me down, "No, I left awhile ago. I'll call you later I'm kind of having a freak out right now." I flipped the phone shut and turned to look at the man next to me just to see him jump back a little.

Why the hell was he jumping away from me? He could obviously see the question on my face, "Sorry but after watching you kick that guy's ass, can you really blame me for thinking I might be next?" I chuckled under my breath. "Actually I only kick ass on the subway so you should be fine on the sidewalk." He scratched his head that was still covered by his hood, but there was something too familiar about his voice but I just couldn't place it and that shit was driving me crazy.

We walked around for about an hour before I walked into a café near my apartment. I didn't expect this guy to follow me but he did. I got my usual from the owner Mike and then sat at my table in the corner. My mystery man didn't order anything but sat down with me. "This is a nice little place." I drank my Irish crème coffee and nodded my head. "Yeah I come here almost every morning and Mike is great. He is one of my best friends and his daughter is pretty awesome too."

It was amazing to me that this person knew my name but I hadn't asked him what his was, "So you know my name, my brother's name and my favorite coffee place but I don't even know what your face looks like." He took a deep breath and waited for a moment and then I could feel his eyes on me from under his hood, "My name is Edward." Well it wasn't much but I guess his name would have to do for now. "Well Edward I am going to go home now." I got up and headed over to the door and waved goodbye to Mike.

My apartment wasn't even a block from Mike's café so I was there in no time. I went in and dropped my stuff at the door. I jumped onto my couch and fell asleep. That night I dreamt of the hooded mystery man.

When I woke up I looked at my clock and realized if I didn't get moving I would be late for work. I threw on a pair of dark blue jeans and a Sweeny Todd shirt I got from Hot Topics. That is the glory of working at a small local theatre as a secretary; you don't have to worry about your appearance. I grabbed my purse on my way out and stopped at Mike's for my coffee. I got it to go since I was running really late and ran out the door hitting someone with it. "Sorry!" I didn't even look to see who it was.

After six hours of boring filing and logging the hours worked by the actors and stage crew I was exhausted. Before I left I stopped and watched the rehearsal just before the final showing of Rent. Ever since it was off Broadway people would go almost anywhere to watch it. After ten minutes I decided to leave. I walked out the front doors and headed towards the coffee house to see if Angela was working so we could talk. Just as I reached for the door my brother called my name from my apartment building.

"Hey Nathaniel, better late than never I guess." He rolled his eyes at me but hugged me anyways. "So what did you need to talk to me about last night that obviously wasn't important?" He shoved his hands into his pockets, "Lauren and I are getting married." I was honestly shocked, "I didn't even know you were going to ask her." He just nodded, "Well I have to go meet her for dinner but I thought I should tell you in person." I gave him one last hug before he left and I headed back to see Angela.

As I opened the door to the café I got this weird feeling like I was being stared at and I looked around. There he was across the street, the weird guy from last night wearing the exact same hoodie. "Hey Bella, you want the usual?" I shook my head, "No. I want to talk to Angela is she here?" Mike pointed over to my table where my best friend was sitting. I snuck up behind her and covered her eyes, "Guess who?" She sighed, "The virgin Mary?" I slapped her shoulder, as I sat across from her I saw the hooded man sit at a table across the room by the hallway leading to the bathrooms. "Hey I'll be right back."

I got up and walked towards him but went down the hall way and washed my hands. As I came back out I contemplated what to do about this weird guy. I got close to him and pulled the hood down off of his face and I nearly fainted when I saw the bronze sex hair and the piercing green eyes that looked up at me. There was no way that the rich famous Edward Cullen was sitting here. Edward Cullen who is one of the son of billionaire Carlisle Cullen.

"When you said your name was Edward I never thought that it was you." I knew his damn voice was familiar I just never assumed the voice with no accent would belong to the famous Edward Cullen. I stood there in complete shock as he covered his face. "Please don't make a scene. Nobody knows I'm here and I would like to keep it that way. The tabloids think I am at home but I escaped and don't want to get caught." I nodded but still stood not sure what to do now. Then he kicked a chair out at me and I robotically sat down.

Mike brought me a cup of my coffee and brought Edward a blueberry muffin. I smiled at Mike and then turned all of my attention to Edward. "I do have one serious question for you." He bobbed his head which I took as a signal to continue, "If you don't want people to know that you're here why did you say anything last night?"

He picked at the muffin but never really ate any of it, "Well I would have felt bad if I just sat there while they harassed you, but also because you looked really upset when you first got on the train. I wanted to talk to you then but was afraid you would recognize me."

I stirred my coffee while he talked and thought about all of the events from last night, "Well no one will recognize you in that hood especially when you change your voice. I thought you sounded familiar and it was bugging the hell out of me because I couldn't place you." My phone rang and I pulled it out, "Sorry it's my work." I flipped it open and walked down the hall to the bathroom. "Hello… What… No I'll be right there."

I walked back to where he was and grabbed my purse, "I'm sorry to leave like this but there is an emergency at work and I have to go." I headed towards the door and walked down the street. I could hear fast footsteps from behind me and when I looked Edward was chasing after me. "Mind if I walk you?" I shrugged my shoulders. "So where are we going?" I slung my purse over my shoulder, "I work at a little theatre about two blocks from here."

He looked really uncomfortable when I said the word theatre and he stuck both hands in his pockets and hunched his back. "You don't have to come if you don't want." What the hell was his problem? "No I just didn't peg you as the theatre type. You an actor?" I threw my head back and couldn't help but laugh, "No. I do book keeping and keep up with the money. If they pulled me up on stage the audience would throw tomatoes and demand refunds." He nudged me with his elbow. "Well if you can act anything like you kept your cool last night I don't believe that." I blushed and put some hair behind my right ear.

I pulled out my keys and opened the back door and walked up the narrow stair case that leads to my office. I grabbed a check book out of my desk, "Um, you can just wait here, I'll be right back." I ran threw Eric's office and down the grand stair case where I found Tyler the director.

"Ok so what do you need?" He threw his arms up in the air, "What don't I need. The star is sick and the understudy is acting like he has never done a play before and now the guy won't deliver the replacement prop so we have to go get it!" I rolled my eyes, "That's sucks but what canI do for you?" "I need a check to pay for the prop. It's going to be $350.00." I wrote a check and tore it out of the book and handed it to him, "If that is all I am going to be leaving."

I turned and went back to my office where Edward was still waiting. He was looking at all of my pictures of my family. He had removed his hoodie and you could actually tell who he really was with out it. He still hadn't noticed my presence until he dropped the only picture I had of my uncle.

"Hey be careful with that one!" He blushed a little as he picked it up and checked to be sure it wasn't damaged. I took it from his hands and placed it in its correct spot. "It seems you had fun messing up my desk." I turned back to him, "So I am done here if you want to go do something?" He grabbed he hoodie and slipped it on and I put the check book back.

I rolled my eyes at him as we walked down the stairs towards the back door. Just as I reached for the door knob I turned around and nearly bumped heads with Edward. We both laughed a little and I pulled his hood back over his head, "Just in case." I opened the door and we walked down the street in silence.

I had almost forgotten that I was walking with anyone until he elbowed my arm. I pushed his shoulder, "What you're not going to talk to me after I saved your life?" I rolled my eyes, "Really because I believe that I was the one who knocked someone out not you." He chuckled and it caused my breath to get caught in my throat. "So who was that guy in the picture?" I chewed on my bottom lip before I answered, "That's my Uncle Harry. He went to the Virgin Islands and nobody has heard from him since. It's the only picture I have of him."

He put his arm around my shoulder and I looked at him like he was crazy, "And who said you could touch me Mr. Cullen?" He went to lift his arm off my shoulder but stopped when I wrapped my arm around his waist. "Now we're even, Bella."

Edward and I walked around the city until it got dark, "Are you hungry?" I was planning on saying no to avoid eating with a hooded figure but my stomach betrayed me a growled, "I will take that as a yes." I planted my feet into the side walk, "What?" I shook his hand off of mine and looked at him, "I am hungry but I don't want to eat with a person who want show his face. Eventually you will be discovered." He sighed and I was sure he rolled his eyes but I couldn't see them.

I stood there for a moment and when neither of us looked like we were going to cave and turned to walk away and then I felt a thump against my back. I looked at him and then at my feet where his hoodie now laid. I picked it up off the ground and slung it over my shoulder and we walked to the closest restaurant. It was a small Mexican place and we ate our food while talking about how gross the food looks. "Seriously if you didn't know that guacamole tasted good would you eat something that looked like that?" He observed the spoonful of his food, and shrugged his shoulders, "It doesn't look that bad." I stuck my finger in my mouth and made a gagging noise as he ate what was on the spoon. "Yummy!"

I picked up my fork and mixed my beans and rice together just as he laughed at me, "So how is that not worse than my food?" I took two big fork fulls before I answered, "Because this tastes good unlike your food." "Oh really?" I nodded my head and he reached his spoon over to my plate and took some of the concoction of my food. I waited for a response and he titled his head to the side, "It's ok but this is better." I rolled my eyes and took some of his food and closed my eyes before I put it in my mouth. I half expected it to taste gross but was surprised when it didn't make me sick.

"Fine it taste good but the looks don't make it any more appetizing." I could hear my cell ringing but I really didn't want to answer it but when I didn't recognize the number so I felt compelled to answer it. "Hello?" "Is this Bella Swan?" "That depends on who is asking?" "This is Dr. Brown from the Lenox Hill Hospital. We have your brother Nathaniel here and we need a family member here to sign some forms for us to treat him… Ms. Swan are you still with me." I couldn't think or move and was having a hard time breathing. "Yes… What happened?" "Perhaps you should come and we will explain when you get here, however I must add that time is of the essence."

I closed my phone and grabbed my purse, "I have to go." I could feel the tears trying to work there way out but I was too panicky to worry about them right now, "Is everything alright?" I stood knocking the chair out from under me, "No, Yes, I don't know." Edward stood and threw something down on the table. "Come one let's go." He hailed a cab and I could hardly wrap my head around the words that the Dr. had said. Why wouldn't he tell me what is wrong? "Where to?" I caught by surprise when my words didn't fail me, "Lenox Hill Hospital."

When we got out of the cab Edward handed him some money because I was still in complete shock and there was Lauren. "Lauren what happened?" "Bella they won't tell me anything because I am not family. All I know is that he went on a bust and the guy shot him. I don't even know how serious it is. Dr. Brown is waiting for you in Nathaniel's room." Lauren led me to the room and Edward waited outside. Nathaniel really didn't look good at all, "Ms. Swan?" I nodded.

Apparently Nathaniel had been shot on his left shoulder. They got it under control but required surgery or he wouldn't be able to use his arm. I signed all the papers and then went to call our parents. Mom was upset I made a decision like this without talking to her but she was also grateful I was here.

I went to join Lauren in the waiting room when I saw Edward hiding in his hoodie next to her. He held out a coffee for me and I gladly accepted it. We sat for fifteen minutes before I spoke, "Nathaniel is a homicide detective. It kills me and mom because he is so reckless, just like dad. This is the first time he has ever been shot." "And it had better be the last." I laughed a little at Lauren, "Sorry Lauren this is Edward, Edward this is Nathaniel's fiancé Lauren." I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. Edward wrapped his arm around me and whispered, "I'm sure everything will be fine." I small little doctor wearing blue scrubs came out, "Ms. Swan, there was a complication."

Sorry about the cliff hanger but is just seemed to fit there. If you review or PM I might send you a sample of the next chapter.