Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight. I own nothing.

Prologue: My Prince Charming

The cold hardwood stairs creaked underneath her bare feet. The small girl tiptoed upstairs so as to not wake up her father. He'd just passed out on the couch in front of the TV, an empty beer can in one hand, the remote control for the television in the other. A rerun of some football game was playing on the television in the far left corner of the living room. The girl put the TV on mute so it wouldn't wake her father up. As she neared the top of the landing she looked back at her father in the dark room.

His black wife beater clung tightly to his overweight body with beer stains scattered in random places. His ratty jeans fell down far enough that his butt crack was visible near the top. He hadn't shaved in days, at least. Black stubble grew all around the lower half of his face. His matching black hair was growing long and hung from his head in short, greasy strands. It almost reached his shoulder but fell a few inches short.

The little girl turned away and scurried to her room, shutting the door quietly behind her. Despite all that happened that day, she couldn't help the small smile that spread across her face as she hurried to the small rectangular mirror on top of her vanity. As she sat down, her eyes sprang automatically to the 4 x 6 crinkled up photo of her mother in the top right corner.

She picked up the brush that had once belonged to her mother and started running it through her messy dark brown hair. It was difficult because her hair was getting long and almost unmanageable. She wanted to ask her father if they could go and get it cut, but she didn't want him to get mad. He always yelled at her every time she opened her mouth. Sometimes not even then.

So the little girl did the best she could with it. Her hair looked nowhere near as pretty as it did after her mother brushed it, but it couldn't be helped. She just hoped it would be good enough.

For him.

She couldn't help her blush.

Once her hair was brushed she turned her attention to her nightgown. She'd made sure it didn't get dirty earlier when she'd been cleaning the house. She kept it dry when she did the dishes. She kept the dust off when she tidied up the living room. And she made sure she didn't get grease on it when she'd fixed her father a grilled cheese for dinner.

It was her favorite nightgown because it made her feel like a princess. And it was also Edward's favorite nightgown.

He always called her a princess. She was his sweet girl. For a few hours, anyway. And then he would do what he always did: leave through her bedroom window into the night.

He would never tell her where he went. He'd only tell her that he had to go but that he would be back the next night to keep her company.

But tonight she would finally do it. She would ask him if she could go with him.

He knew about her life here. He knew about her father and her mother. He always talked about how much she would like it where he was from. But whenever she asked about it, he would change the subject. It was frustrating.

The little girl twirled in a circle, causing her ankle length nightgown to twirl around her. She liked feeling dizzy. The world went away and became nothing more than a confusing blur. It felt like an escape from reality, which was what the girl yearned for more than anything else.

A soft knock at the window stopped the girl's movements. Slightly flustered, the girl hurried over to the window and unlocked it. She couldn't have stopped the wide smile that spread across her face as she saw the familiar figure at the window. He flew in the moment the window was wide enough and stood perfectly still in the center of her bedroom.

He was very much the essence of a prince in his tailored black suit, polished black shoes and thick bronze hair. And he was tall. Extremely tall. But the girl's favorite part about him was his eyes. They were the same color as his hair. They were wide and...beautiful.

"Edward!" the girl exclaimed and rushed over to hug him, or rather, his legs as they were the only part of him that she could reach.

The tall man known as Edward squatted down and pulled her into his chest for a tight hug.

"Hey, Bella. Long time no see," he joked as he gently stroked her hair.

Bella closed her eyes as the feeling of safety once again embraced her. It made her forget her father and everything else about her life. It made her feel as though the entire world consisted of just her and Edward. Everything else evaporated into nothingness.

"You saw me last night," Bella teased softly. She rested her head against Edward's rock hard chest.

"And how have you been since then?"

Edward scooped the little girl up in his arms and carried her over to her bed. He didn't tuck her into the pink sheets, which she was happy about. She wanted to stay in his arms where it was safe and warm.

Bella leaned into him, hoping he would get the hint not to let her go. He seemed to understand as he sat down on the bed with her cradled in his lap. She smiled, never wanting this moment to last. She wanted to stay with him forever.

"I missed you," he whispered into her ear.

"I missed you, too."

They remained like that for a while, choosing to bask in each other's company rather than fill the silence with small talk. They were past that stage now. Bella closed her eyes and tried to imagine a life with Edward, one away from her drunk father and Cinderella life. Edward was her Prince Charming, the one in the movies that always came to the rescue. Edward was her rescue.

She hoped that one day he would see it.

"Are you tired, Bella?" Edward's velvet voice was like a lullaby on a quiet night. He continued to stroke her hair soothingly with her head tucked underneath his.

"No."

Edward chuckled. It was the most beautiful sound the little girl ever heard. "You're a bad liar."

"I'm not," Bella repeated stubbornly. If he thought she was tired then he might leave. He couldn't leave; not until she asked him her question.

"It's okay if you are, beautiful girl. I'll stay with you for a while. You're safe as long as I'm here."

Bella smiled again at his words, but didn't want to fall asleep. That would only make morning come that much sooner.

"I'm awake, Edward. Please stay with me." She hoped that she sounded grown up. Kids were never taken as seriously as grown ups.

"Always, love," Edward murmured into her ear. "I'll always stay with you."

Tears unexpectedly sprang from her eyes. She wiped them away unconsciously, not wanting Edward to see, but it was too late. He pulled her up gently so that she was sitting upright on her bed.

"Have I said something?" he asked worriedly. Bella had never seen him so concerned. It made her uneasy.

"No," she said hastily. "I wasn't crying."

Edward cocked an eyebrow at her. "Remember what I said about lying and how you're bad at it? Please tell me, Bella."

Bella looked away, ashamed. "You...you said that you would always stay with me."

"And I meant it," Edward replied.

Bella shook her small head. She knew she would sound silly to him.

"Please, Bella," Edward said again, putting his finger underneath her chin, tilting her head so that she would look at him. It wasn't the way her father did it. Edward was gentle and careful. "Tell me."

The little girl sighed. "That was what Mommy said. And then she went away."

She didn't have the courage to look at him. She knew that he would laugh and say that she was silly for believing her. That was what her father said. He said that her mother was brazen and rash and did 'whatever the hell she wanted with no regard for her family.'

And then he would hit her in his rage.

Bella tensed up, ready for the blow, but it didn't come. Confused, she looked up at Edward. Her eyes widened at the pained expression on his face.

"Do you think that I'll leave you one day?" Edward asked. His voice was so soft that Bella wasn't even sure he'd spoken.

Bella shrugged. She really did not want to think about that. Her father said that people would always leave her and that it was inevitable. She didn't know what inevitable meant, but she didn't dare ask him.

"Answer me, Bella. Do you really think I'm going to leave you? I meant it when I said that I would always be with you. I'm not going anywhere." He sounded so sure that Bella looked up.

"You promise?" The little girl's voice was little more than a hopeful whisper. Her bottom lip quivered with the strain of trying not to cry. If she did then Edward wouldn't think she was beautiful anymore.

Edward's hand was now on her cheek. Bella leaned into his touch, loving how safe he made her feel. "Yes, beautiful girl. I mean it."

Bella wrapped her arms around Edward's middle. She was suddenly very elated and hopeful that maybe he would say yes when she asked him her question. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too, beautiful girl."

Bella smiled again and hugged him even harder. She never wanted to let go. He was her safe place, her bodyguard. Nothing bad would ever happen to her as long as he was here with her.

She lost track of the time as she always did and soon enough she felt him shift underneath her as he got off the bed. She followed suit, pausing when he performed his goodbye ritual of kissing her on the top of her head and jumping to her window.

"Goodbye, love," he whispered and when he was about to jump out of the window, Bella sprang into action.

"Edward, wait!" she cried.

Edward turned around to look at her, surprised. "What, Bella?"

"Take me with you."

Edward frowned, looking confused. Bella took advantage of his silence and hastily explained.

"I hate it here. Daddy is always mean to me. He's always yelling at me and calling me names. Sometimes he hits me. Look." She rolled up her right sleeve and showed him the ugly black bruise forming on her upper arm.

Before Bella could blink Edward was off the window sill with her arm in his hand. He was glaring at the mark as though it had personally wronged him.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" he demanded, not sounding at all like her Edward. He sounded angry and it scared her.

"I...I was afraid to," she admitted shyly.

"Please, Bella," Edward pleaded softly. "You don't ever have to be afraid of me. I'll never do anything to hurt you. I promise."

Bella nodded, shrugging out of Edward's grip. She tugged her sleeve back down, trying not to wince at the pain.

"I'll be back tomorrow night. In the meantime, imagine that I am with you, watching over you and protecting you. As long as you do that, you won't ever have to be afraid," he whispered, stroking her hair once more.

Then he was back at the window.

"Edward!" she exclaimed desperately before she remembered that her father was still downstairs. She couldn't have him waking up. "Take me with you."

Immediately the pain was back in Edward's eyes. Bella couldn't understand why. What was wrong?

"I wish I could. But it's not the place for you. At least not yet."

"But why? Why can't I go with you?"

"Because, Bella. It's not safe. I can't explain why. Just please trust me," he said.

Bella frowned, hurt. "Please. Take me with you!"

Edward sighed. "I will. One day. When it's safe for you."

"It is safe for me! Please, Edward! You said you'd always stay with me! But you always leave! Just like Mommy."

Bella was screaming now, but she didn't really care. Usually it took banging a bunch of pots and pans in his ear to get him to wake up after he drank himself to sleep. She crossed her arms, pouting.

"I promise, Bella, that I will come back tomorrow night, and the night after that, and the night after that. There won't be a night when I won't come. And one day I will take you with me. When you're older. Not tonight. You just have to be patient. Can you do that for me, beautiful girl? Can you be patient?" Edward asked.

Bella kept her arms crossed, hoping that maybe it would change his mind. She only nodded in reluctant assertion when Edward remained silent, waiting for her agreement.

"Good girl. I promise I'll be back. Be brave, little one."

And then he was gone.