AN: My computer at home sucks and for some reason won't let me update my stories, so while I was waiting for the chance to get to the library to post chapter one I wrote this. If you like it then review or I'll think it sucks, and if I think it sucks then I won't update.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, I just mess the characters up a bit.

Chapter Two: First Sight

BPOV

The next day Jacob took me out to lunch at the place where we'd had our first date. 'To celebrate moving in together,' he told me, grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't help but smile back; he looked so cute when he was happy, and I was nothing but grateful toward him. I knew it was harsh, keeping such big secrets from him. He had no idea how much of a help he'd been to me, how much I'd been leaning on him this past year. He had taken my moods in stride and said nothing.

I knew I was horrible. I was a horrible girlfriend. But he seemed happy when he was with me, I consoled myself. He smiled and laughed a lot, and he made me laugh. He told me he loved me and I believed him. I told him I loved him and hoped he believed me.

After lunch Jacob dropped me at Alice's apartment before driving himself to work. Alice's apartment… it felt weird thinking of it like that. Just two days ago, this was my home. Now it's Alice's apartment.

She was, at least, in a better mood than yesterday. 'What time are your cousins getting here?' I asked as I sprawled comfortably on my old couch.

'Just before eight.' Alice's face lit up. 'I know! We can go to the Nine's when they get here! We'll come and see you! I'm sure they'll want to.'

'Yeah, if you want.' The Nine's was the bar that I worked in on Monday to Thursday nights. 'What are we gonna do now, though?'

She jumped up immediately. 'We're going food shopping. I need to stock up since I'm having three people staying here for who knows how long. Edward called me and told me he'll be staying here for at least a month, something about needing time away from his girlfriend.'

At the shops we wandered down every isle. I pushed the trolley while Alice sprang around throwing bits and pieces in. 'Don't you think you're going a bit all out,' I said at the checkout, remembering our previous shopping trips. She was buying almost doubt the amount of food for an extra person.

'I just want them to feel welcome,' she said, happily swiping her credit card.

I looked at her curiously. 'Alice, if you make them feel welcome they'll want to stay longer. Don't you want the house to yourself?'

She paused halfway through signing her name on the slip of paper. 'Oh.' After a moment she straightened and replaced her card in her purse. 'Oh, well. There's always Jasper's house.'

I'd never understand her, I swear.

After going back to Alice's apartment to put the shopping away we went to the airport. 'So how long have Esme and Carlisle been married for now?' I asked. I remembered Esme from times when she had visited when Alice and I had been younger. She'd been visiting when it had happened.

'Almost two years,' she said as we found seats in the arrivals area. Then she grinned. 'Do you remember when she first met him? She fell head over heals immediately.'

'And she didn't think she was good enough for him since he was a doctor,' I remembered.

'Yeah, right. What an insane notion! Good thing Edward convinced her otherwise. They're trying for a baby, now. Esme always wanted a family.'

We talked about nothing much while we waited for the flight to come in. When the flight number started to flash on the little screen, signalling that it had landed, Alice started bouncing on her seat in excitement. I laughed at her. 'I'm going to remind you of this when you start complaining that you want them gone,' I warned her, grinning. She stuck her tongue out at me.

Ten more minutes later Alice squealed and jumped to her feet. 'There they are! Edward! Esme!' Obviously hearing their names being called, Alice's cousins looked around and noticed the tiny woman jumping all over the place and began to make their way over. As they approached I quickly looked each of them over. Esme was the only one I'd met before. In description she would sound pretty average: brown hair, brown eyes, medium height and build, but she was very pretty in a quiet way. She also happened to be one of the kindest people I'd ever met. The blonde man whose hand she held must have been Carlisle. He was tall, with blonde hair and an easy smile. He walked with purpose, with authority, like he knew who he was and what he was doing. Like a doctor.

The man on the other side of Esme was Edward. I was startled slightly by his hair: it was a bizarre bronze shade and messy like he'd run his hand through it. I briefly noticed his high cheekbones and strong jaw before I was drawn into his eyes, deep green orbs that I noticed from across this crowded room. I'd bet he could make hearts jump, I thought to myself.

Alice ran forward when they were a few feet away and practically pounced on Esme with another squeal. They hugged each other tightly, leaving me and the two men to look at each other awkwardly. 'Hi,' I said hesitantly.

'Hello,' Carlisle said. 'My name's Carlisle.' He extended his hand toward me.

'Wait!' Alice screamed before I could shake his hand. The three of us turned to see her glaring at us. 'I'm supposed to do that,' she pointed out. 'Bella, this is Carlisle and Edward. Carlisle and Edward, meet Bella. Now you can shake.' She beamed at us.

I rolled my eyes and accepted Carlisle's hand. 'It's nice to meet you, Bella. Esme's told me a lot about you.'

Just what has she said, though? That's what mattered, not how much was said. I just smiled back, trying to make him feel welcome but trying to decipher his tone.

I turned to Edward to distract myself, and he smiled down at me. 'Hello, Bella.' His handshake was firm but gentle, his hand comfortably warm.

'Hi,' I said to him, then continued to Carlisle as well. 'Welcome to Forks, I guess.'

We went with them to get their luggage and then led them back to the car. After the men squashed the suitcases into the boot Alice jumped in the front seat. 'Esme, sit in the front with me so we can talk!'

That would mean… I glanced between the two guys and felt my chest tighten. They'd sit me in the middle, since they both looked too big to fit otherwise. No. 'Alice,' I said quietly, trying to keep my breathing steady enough to seem normal. She looked up at me obliviously. 'Can I sit in the front with you?'

Alice frowned, still unaware of the storm crashing around me. 'Why? What's the big deal?'

I felt my eyes widen and I gasped for breath. It felt like walls were closing in around me, but a part of me knew that there weren't even any walls close by. 'Just please, Alice.'

'I'll sit in the back with you,' Esme suggested quickly. 'I'll sit in the middle and Edward can sit in the front seat. You've seen me more recently than Edward,' she pointed out to Alice, 'you two need to catch up more.'

Esme slipped into the backseat and slid over so that she was sitting in the middle. I still hesitated, uncertain, but she looked out at me with calm and kindness and I reluctantly slid in beside her. Her arm went around my shoulders cautiously once my seatbelt was done up, but once she saw that I wouldn't shy away from her she tightened it around me. I kept my eyes on my knees, unable to bear the curious looks that I knew would be present on Carlisle and Edward's faces.

I wasn't nearly as scared anymore. I was ashamed. Ashamed that the idea of sitting between two men who were my best friend's trusted relatives had terrified me so much still. But the thought of having them so close, on being effectively trapped between two strangers had scared me. I was still wary of Carlisle, even with Esme sitting between us. I leaned into her, welcoming her warmth. It was very comforting. This was what I remembered most about Esme. She had been in Forks when my parents had been killed, and when I had become pregnant. She'd been there for me – she understood.

I stayed silent throughout the entire drive home. Alice and Esme made up most of the conversation. I wondered if Alice still had no clue about what had happened back in the airport car park. Esme chatted happily, keeping up a steady conversation. When Alice pulled up in front of Jacob's apartment – my apartment – I murmured a quick goodbye and fled the car.


EPOV

The atmosphere in the drive from the airport was one of the most tense that I'd ever experienced. Before we had gotten into the car I had exchanged a heavy glance with Carlisle, but he shrugged, signalling that he had no clue about what had just happened either. Esme's face showed concern and worry, but gave nothing else away as she wrapped her arm protectively around Bella's shoulders. I knew that they had been close when Esme had gone to visit Alice with our mother, but I didn't know about anything happening that would result in that reaction from anyone.

There had to be something. Adult women didn't damn near break down when faced with the prospect of sitting between two men.

After Alice dropped Bella off at her home, I turned to stare at Esme as Alice pulled away from the curb. 'What just happened?'

Esme seemed to think over her words carefully. 'Bella's had a bit of a hard life. Please don't ask her about it, or us. Just try not to get too close to her. Give her plenty of space.'

Alice jumped slightly and let out a small cry. 'Oh, God! Shit! I didn't think, Esme… Oh, poor Bella…'

'She'll be fine,' Esme stated. 'We'll have a chat about her when we get to your place.'

I frowned as I stared out of the windscreen. Obviously it was something serious, if Esme didn't want to talk about it in front of Carlisle or me. Usually she didn't go to an effort to hide anything from us. I thought back again to the pure terror on Bella's face when she realised the suggested seating arrangements. In that moment all I had wanted to do was take that fear away, but I couldn't if I didn't know what had caused it.

Once we were out of the car I pulled Esme aside. 'Will you tell me what's wrong with Bella?' I asked.

She shook her head. 'No, Edward. If the two of you become friends and she wants to tell you then it's her business. If I didn't tell you at first, I'm not telling you now.'

As the two girls went into Alice's bedroom to talk, Carlisle switched on the TV and flicked uninterestedly through the channels. 'Do you think it's bad?' he asked quietly after a few moments, obviously not wanting to be overheard by his wife.

I liked Carlisle. He was a good man, a great man. He had the same cool, calm nature as Esme, and they suited each other well. I'd never seen my sister as happy as I had while with Carlisle, and if I hadn't found the man extremely likable then that would have been enough for me anyway. He was mature and responsible, like anyone would have to be to be such a successful doctor so young, but he also knew how to have fun. It was a good combination, and I respected him for who he was and how he treated Esme.

Sighing, I leaned back on the couch. 'It'd have to be, wouldn't it? The way she looked at us…' I shuddered as I remembered it yet again.

Carlisle let out what was almost a small groan. 'I can't stand seeing people in pain, let alone someone who Esme thinks so highly of. If I didn't know better I would have said she was another cousin, or even a sister, from the way Esme talks about her. And to know we must have been the reason for it!'

'Do you think –'

'Let's try not to think about it,' Carlisle said, interrupting me. 'It'll be easier for us to feel comfortable around each other if we're not constantly speculating about what could have happened to cause such a reaction. I'm sure she'll appreciate it.'

I nodded slowly. 'Whatever it was, I feel sorry for her. It can't have been anything good.' I followed Carlisle's advice and tried not to think of specifics. 'I guess I'd better call Tanya to tell her I got here,' I said reluctantly.

'Tell her Esme and I say hello,' Carlisle said as I walked out into the hallway to have some privacy to spare Carlisle if Tanya wasn't happy about something.

The phone call was over quickly, since I didn't have much to tell her and she wasn't being very talkative. I told her I probably wouldn't call her for a few days, and she agreed quietly without asking for my reasoning. I think she may have gotten the point of my trip away and she didn't want to push me.

When I walked back into Alice's apartment the two girls were sitting on the couch with Carlisle. Esme was telling Alice about Tanya, and the current situation. Alice looked at me curiously, and I had to force myself not to roll my eyes. 'I'm not ready for a child,' I told her, feeling like a broken record.

'Then why don't you just tell her that?' she asked. 'And if she's so desperate she'll find someone new.'

'Did you think that maybe I don't want her to leave me?' I asked her, half teasing. 'I'm just not ready for a kid yet. What would you do if your Jasper wanted kids now? But picture Jasper as moody and impulsive.'

Alice sighed. 'I guess you're right. Oh well, we'll have other babies with us soon enough!' she said, beaming at Esme and Carlisle.

'Hopefully,' Esme said, grinning back. If there were any two people ready to be parents, it was these two.

AN: I was wondering what you guys thought about who I write better, Edward or Bella? This is primarily Bella's story so most of it'll probably be from her, but the multi POV thing just provides so much more insight and makes it easier to write. :)