Thank you all SO very much for following along on this one and for your lovely reviews! As some of you know, I have a hard time replying to all reviews, but I read and appreciate them all so, so much. And I will get replies out as often as I can!

Big thanks to Sophiacorgi, KniNut, Hadley Hemingway, and lellabeth!

SM owns all things Twilight. Everything else is mine, including any mistakes.

Let's hear from Edward. :)


Chapter 2 - Fire

EPOV

Kate had walked away from me before. A few times, actually. But never with a suitcase in her hand—not since we'd moved in together.

Not since I'd proposed to her.

I stood there, a little dumbfounded, watching her immaculately-styled blonde hair ripple down her back as she stormed past Bella and Lily, the two of them just barely getting out of the way of the large suitcase she was wheeling behind her. Her stilettos didn't slow her down one bit.

"I'm… sorry. Come in."

Bella was dressed casually as usual—a purple Huskies t-shirt, jeans, and her black Chucks. Her face was free of makeup, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail that showed off her long, graceful neck. She glanced down the hall at Kate's retreating form and then back to me. "I thought you said she was okay with it," she whispered.

Running a hand through my hair, I shook my head. "I thought she would be. I got stuck at work yesterday, and she went out for drinks with friends. I didn't get to talk to her until this morning."

"I'm so sorry, Edward. If I had anywhere else to go, you know I wouldn't—"

"I know. It's okay." She gave me a dubious look. "It'll be okay. Kate just needs some time to cool off."

I hoped I wasn't lying.

"Hi, Daddy," my sweet baby girl said as she walked toward me and threw her arms around my waist.

"Hi, princess. You doing okay?"

Lily nodded without looking up, still clinging to me. She had to be pretty shaken up, having seen her home charred to bits.

Their apartment building was almost a total loss because of how quickly the fire had spread through the old structure. Bella had been subletting the apartment while attending UDub, and there was no way she could afford anything else for the two of them in a decent area, even with my help. I was just starting my career in advertising, so I wasn't making the big bucks yet. She was on the waiting list for UDub's family housing, but they'd been full forever.

When Bella had called me in tears yesterday and explained the situation, it was a no-brainer for me to have them come stay with us until she finished school. She'd already sacrificed a lot for our daughter, and this was something I could do to make things easier for her. Maybe it was stupid or naïve of me, but I assumed Kate would understand my need to help them and keep them safe. My relationship with Bella was strictly platonic, and it had been that way for several years, after all.

They'd stayed at Bella's friend, Angela's place last night so I'd have time to talk with Kate about what was going on, but, well…

"You should go after her," Bella said softly as I stroked Lily's long dark hair.

I nodded absently. "I know, but I don't think it would do any good when she's this angry. It would just start another fight, and..." I let out a sigh of frustration. "Anyway, I want to get you two settled in. Were you able to salvage much of anything?"

She pointed to the borrowed suitcase behind her. "Some clothes, mostly older stuff of mine, but it should still fit okay. I wasn't able to save much from Lil's room," she finished sadly.

Lily sniffled against me. "Olivia's gone!" she wailed suddenly.

She loved the Olivia the Pig books, and I'd gotten her a stuffed Olivia for her fourth birthday last year. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart." I knelt down and enveloped her in a hug while she cried on my shoulder. When I released her, she looked at me with her sad bright hazel eyes, and I wiped her tears away with my thumbs. "We'll get you a new Olivia. I promise."

Bella smiled softly at me when I looked up at her, and then she sighed. "Luckily, I had most of my paper photos and important documents in a fire-proof box, so that stuff was safe. And thank God we weren't home at the time."

I let out a shaky breath. "Yeah. Thank God." I squeezed Lily to me again and tamped down the urge to squeeze Bella to me as well. I tried not to get too close to her physically because I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, but...

Ah, fuck it.

Standing, I kept one hand on Lily's back and opened my other arm for Bella. She seemed to sag in relief and maybe even gratitude, stepping into my hold easily. I hadn't been this close to her in years, and having her small body against mine again was a wholly comforting experience. I hoped it was for her too.

I knew I'd need to do everything I could to smooth things over with Kate sooner rather than later, but at the moment, the relief and gratitude I felt at having Bella and Lily with me, safe and sound, was threatening to overwhelm me.

"You sure you'll be okay sharing with Lily? We could figure something else out if it's an issue."

Bella sniffled and discreetly wiped under her eyes before pulling back and looking up at me. I hadn't seen her face that close up in such a long time, and she was just so beautiful—dark, fathomless eyes, a smattering of freckles over the bridge of her nose, full pouty lips. My own lips may have parted as I took in her features, but I released her before it became too awkward.

"We'll be fine," she said. "It'll be like a sleepover every night. Right, Lil?"

Lily looked up at her with a small smile. "Right, Mama."

"Okay, well, let me know if you change your mind. We can maybe get a pull-out sofa or convert my office to a bedroom. Or I could even sleep out here, and you could take my bed." I didn't stop to think about what I was saying. I just knew I wanted her to be comfortable.

I also knew Lily was a sleep-kicker.

Bella looked at me like I'd sprouted an arm out of my forehead. "I don't think Kate would appreciate being kicked out of her own bedroom, Edward. Least of all by me." She patted my forearm, and I had to admit it made the little hairs there stand up. "We'll be just fine. You're doing us a ginormous favor by letting us move in."

Grasping the handle of her suitcase, I chuckled but didn't reply to her comment about Kate. I'd seen Kate angry before. Really angry, but never quite like that. I honestly wasn't sure she'd be back this time.

I guessed I could take comfort in the fact that she hadn't thrown her engagement ring at my head on the way out.


Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! xoxo

A few questions answered: 1) I'm not planning any heavy angst in this. Drama, at the most. 2) The chapters will vary in length. 3) I'd love to put a posting schedule on this and stick to it, but life with two toddlers is busy, sometimes unpredictable, and often mind-melting, so... I will update as often as I can - most likely once a week.

Fic rec: Angelus Ardens by Cullenboyz - Born as a Roman slave, Eduardus serves a depraved mistress and learns that he is nothing. Stolen into a world of violence, Eduardus slakes his thirst without remorse, and learns that he is a monster. Fleeing to a world of asceticism, Edward finds relief in oblivion and learns that life is pain. But in rescuing his Singer, Edward learns that he must live. - This is her first story, and it's wonderful. Please show her some love!