I didn't dare mention the rose to anyone. I certainly couldn't risk asking Jacob if he was the one who gave it to me, and I was not about to ask someone else in case they brought up the subject to Jacob at any point. If it was Edward who left it for me, I could only imagine his reaction if I told him about it. Jacob's severe reaction to Edward had not gone unnoticed, even if I was occupying myself with staring at his unnaturally gorgeous face. As much as he disliked the idea of Dr. Cullen in his house, and it was overtly obvious even if I hadn't overheard the conversation, he seemed to have as strong an aversion to Edward as he did to the doctor himself.

And after the way Edward had looked at me I could almost hear Jacob growl. He was already coveting me and I was not even his wife yet. I shuddered when that thought passed through my mind. The word wife made me feel ill. So even though I barely slept that night, holding the rose and wondering what would motivate a man to give a woman a rose that he hardly knew, what that woman should do when she thinks she might be the object of pursuit by a man who is not her betrothed, and what her not yet husband would do if he ever found out. I worried myself in circles for hours at a time, always coming back to the fact that it was just a rose. No matter the intent behind the rose, it was just a flower. Even if that flower had come from a man to an engaged woman it shouldn't matter. I wasn't married yet, damn it; I could get flowers if I wanted to.

Which always brought me back to the question of whether or not I wanted to get flowers from another man, specifically from Edward. And the answer was always yes.

So when the sun rose the next day and I finally felt as though I wouldn't look out of the ordinary if I were to be awake and walking around, I hid the rose in one of the drawers of my vanity and prayed there it would lay undiscovered.

And there it did lie without being disturbed except by me. Every day I spent time with Jacob and his father and his friends. I laughed and talked with them, bonded, shared time with Emily as the only two women who were there most of the time besides the women who cooked and cleaned. And Jacob tried his hardest to make me enjoy myself, and for the most part, I did. I ate well, had good company, access to a plethora of books if I wanted to read, a garden to walk in when I wanted to go outside and if I wanted to go into town, Jacob would gladly bring me. If I wanted time alone he was more than happy to respect that as well.

But every night I would open the drawer in my vanity and look at that single rose, that I was now certain Edward had somehow managed to leave for me. Jacob had never once hinted at leaving it for me. So there was no one else it could have been. And so as the rose faded and died, turning black as it dried out I spent my weeks living a life most people only dreamt of. I was comfortable, well taken care of, and there were people that genuinely cared for me. My father even made a point to stop out once a week.

But I didn't see Edward. It seemed as though after that first visit he did not return with Dr. Cullen. Even still if I saw Dr. Cullen there, I prayed that a step behind him I would see his charming son. But I never did. He always smiled at me, greeted me warmly, gave me a smile, and of course I responded in kind. But I always wanted to ask about his son. And of course I couldn't. I couldn't risk asking about something like that there, where someone could hear me. Not that I thought Dr. Cullen would ever tell anyone, but if a maid overheard, or Sam or Emily or one of the boys and then they told Jacob, I was unsure of the result.

He wasn't pushing for a date on the wedding yet, which gave me such relief. If I had to be planning a wedding and facing the reality of my engagement on a day-to-day basis, I was unsure my sanity could hold.

But with a strike of luck he had decided to hold off on the wedding for a while because he wanted to get to know me first. But I had an awful feeling that no matter how well we knew each other I would never feel the spark I would need to feel in order to love him. Of course it would be perfect if we managed to fall in love with each other and be a happy ending as so many were not in these situations. It would appear to some that we already were, that the weeks had brought us close, but that was not exactly true. We were friends of course; he was fast becoming the best friend I ever had. But in his friendship I found no need to be anything more. If there was anything like love for him it was as though he was my brother.

I knew that even though that would make for an amicable marriage, it was not the love or passion that I wanted. And it was because of that I looked at that rose every night. I would look at it for hours and wonder what I could have done if I had not been given this life. I felt ungrateful sometimes because I was sitting in a wonderful home, living a life that was by no means uncomfortable, and yet I was unhappy with it. But every time I looked at Jacob, even though I would sometimes just see him laugh or smile, I mostly saw my life as it slipped away from me.

And on one of the days a little over a month after I came to stay with Jacob I found myself maddened by the thoughts that I couldn't push away. If I saw him it made me even more frustrated. I couldn't read or take a walk to distract myself. I needed to go somewhere and just get out of the area for a little while. So even though just laying my eyes upon him made me squirm I went to find Jacob. He was out in the gardens with Sam and the boys as I had come to call them. This was the very last place I wanted to have this conversation, but I prayed that perhaps he wouldn't make a fuss.

"I am going into town for a while," I told him nonchalantly. I didn't want to have to tell him why I needed to get out.

"Sure, Bella, just give me one moment and I will be ready to go," he replied, about to get up. But I put my hand on his shoulder massive as it was and as little as it would do if I tried to keep him from standing.

"Actually, Jacob, I need to be by myself for a while today if you don't mind."

"Bella, I don't know how much I like the idea of you being all alone there."

"Its not as though I didn't ever go around in town alone before. I used to practically live in that town. I promise I wont be long, I just need to clear my head," I protested. All the eyes in the room turned to Jacob and me. We had never disagreed publicly about anything. If something had come up one of us had deferred to the other.

"Be back before dark," he said. I looked into the sky. It would be dark in a half hour, maybe an hour at the most. I shook my head.

"I wont promise that. I will go to my father's tonight and he can bring me home so you wont have to worry about me getting back, okay?"

He looked at me for a long moment and then finally nodded. I was being stubborn for no reason other than because I could, in truth. But it was part of my personality. I was a stubborn woman and if he was going to marry me, he was going to have to get used to it.

I bean walking into town immediately after I talked to Jacob. If I was going to get there in any real time I was going to have to start the trek right away. So I walked and enjoyed the mild weather and tried not to think at all except for to put one foot in front of the other and breathe. And it became progressively easier with every step I took away from home. When I the town was in view I felt like a new woman, or more specifically perhaps the woman I had been before this entire ordeal.

I spent all the time I had in the daylight walking around and talking to people I knew. There were so many that I hadn't seen since I had left. They all knew where I was. They all asked me where my husband was. It was with a sort of pride that I informed them that I was not yet married, but only because we had not set a date. I assured all of them that I was indeed engaged, and that I would certainly be getting married soon to Jacob. No one had a single bad thing to say about Jacob. And of course, neither did I, except for the fact that I didn't love him.

But as soon as the sun began to fall I started to walk to my father's. I had to cross all the way through town to do it, but I didn't mind. It was nice to be back and feel like I was where I belonged.

"Bella!" someone shouted. For a moment I was sure it was someone else that I hadn't seen in weeks and was going to ask me about Jacob and my wedding and how married life was going and about children for God's sake. So I ignored them. And then they shouted for me again. And though the voice sounded familiar to me, there was something about it that made me curious. So I stopped and turned to speak with whomsoever it was that wanted to pester me about my almost marriage and other things that were none of their business.

But as soon as I saw whom it was that was shouting after me, I was absolutely frozen.

Edward.

"I didn't think you were going to stop," he said when he reached me. I smiled.

"I have had people asking me about my 'marriage' and my life and children for the past few hours. I thought you were another one of those people and I was just not in the mood to answer any more questions. I came here to get away from that today, not to be interrogated about it," I said with a lilt of humor. He nodded knowingly.

"Where are you off to all alone at night?" he asked.

"To my father's house."

"It isn't wise to be out walking all alone after dark, Bella," he chided me. I rolled my eyes. I already had one man telling me what I should and should not be doing, that was plenty for me.

"Well are you offering an escort?" I inquired as we both stood there. He grinned that crooked grin that almost knocked me off my feet each and every time I saw it.

"I suppose that I am," he replied with a laugh and then extended his arm to me. I took it without an ounce of reluctance, town gossip be damned.

"So you took some time off from your life today I see," he commented as we began walking, a lot slower than was necessary. I laughed but agreed. That was more or less what I did. For some reason I found myself telling him everything I had been thinking about and feeling lately, especially today. He listened without interrupting. And when I was done he didn't say a thing for a moment. I was afraid of his silence. There was so much risk in silence. But when he did begin to speak I could tell it was not going to be something bad.

"Bella, I wish there was something I could do for you. I wish I could go back in time and change your circumstances. But we both know that I cant. And that saddens me more than you'd imagine because you are such a…wonderful woman. You deserve someone who loves you and that you love back. You should never be forced to do something you don't want to do, especially when it means planning the rest of your life without your consent. I just…do you ever feel like something is right and yet the timing is wrong?" he asked me. I didn't know what to say, but it didn't matter because he continued without my response.

"Lovely Bella, do you ever wonder what your life could be like if you weren't forced into a life you had no choice in? I know you do. And all I can tell you is…I know exactly how you feel. I understand that sentiment perfectly. And I understand how sick it can make you, wondering what things could have been if only it had been different. But if there is one thing I have learned it is that for some people, those of us in positions like ours, things will never be different, unless we make them so."

I hadn't realized that we had stopped walking. And when I looked at Edward it was as if he hadn't either. He looked like he was about to say something else important, make some other soul stirring speech on life, and I wasn't ashamed to admit that I found his words more striking than I would have liked them to be. But instead of continuing his earlier words he looked around us and then cursed.

"Is something wrong?" I asked at his sudden change in demeanor. But he was laughing even as I asked.

"No, of course not. Its just, I realized that all this while we've been talking and I have been walking back to my house unconsciously. You were supposed to be leading us back to your father's, remember?"

I grimaced at my own stupidity but nodded. I was such an idiot. I could not even remember how to get to my home when I was with Edward.

"I am so sorry, Edward, I guess I just wasn't paying attention. We'll have to turn around to get me home…" I said, looking around trying to make out in the dark exactly where we were and how we would get back to my father's house.

"Don't worry about it Bella, we can just go back to my house and I will take you home from there. I don't like the idea of walking around out here in the dark with you all night trying to find some house that you don't even remember how to get to," he teased. I glared up at him and a moment later realized that he most likely had no idea what I was doing because it was so dark.

"Are you afraid the scent of helpless maiden will attract some big bad monsters?" I asked.

"Actually that's exactly what I am afraid of," he whispered in reply. I didn't know if he was joking or not, or if I was even meant to hear that comment, and so I said nothing. But while we continued to walk to Edward's house, I felt it echo inside me. But the lights of his house brought a sort of warmth to the night and the strange cold feeling that had gotten to me in the strange silence between us.

"So Dr. Cullen, your father, will be here and your mother?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, and my brothers and sisters," he replied.

"I didn't know your family was so large," I said, just to fill the silence.

"Oh yes. Of course none of them are related to me by blood, just as Carlisle and Esme—my mother—are not. Bu they are my siblings in every way that counts. But you'll find my family is a bit…unorthodox. I have two sisters and two brothers. Rosalie and Emmett are married to each other, and Alice and Jasper are also husband and wife. But don't worry, we aren't marrying within the family. None of them are related by blood either. But we are all family," he explained. I listened to him speak, losing myself in his voice as we walked closer and closer to his house. I didn't know what to expect as we crossed the threshold. Never did he release me or have me let go of his arm, even as we came inside, to the warmth of his home.

"Edward, finally you are home. I was wondering where you had gotten off to," a voice called. It was the same warm, smooth quality I had come to associate with Carlisle, but deeper. The face that came down the stairs to greet he and I was that of a younger man, who looked both shocked and pleased. There were two things I noticed right away. The first was that he was enormous—muscles plating every inch of his body and yet not appearing bulky—and he was beautiful. It seemed to be a trend within the household.

"Bella, this is my brother Emmett. Emmett, this is Bella," he said, introducing us briefly. Before either Emmett or I could respond a tiny pixie woman darted down past him.

"Good evening, Edward," she said with a grin plastering her gorgeous face. Her black hair only exaggerated her pale beauty as she smiled at he and I. Edward opened his mouth to speak and then sighed.

"Why doesn't the whole family come in here so I don't have to introduce her to each member separately?" he inquired. And then as though they had heard him, his family members began emerging. Carlisle was the only other one I knew, but by process of elimination I was able to discern the rest. When Carlisle joined us a lovely blond woman accompanied him and their careful affection led me to believe she was his wife Esme. Another young man came down the stairs followed by a shockingly dazzling young woman. They could only be Jasper and Rosalie. Edward introduced me to each of them in turn, affirming my assumptions. I smiled as nicely as I could manage at each of them, even though it seemed that from some of them, Rosalie in particular, I was not welcome.

"So Bella, not that it is not a pleasant surprise to have you here, but might I ask what brings you to our home, with my son, nonetheless?" Carlisle asked. I explained the story, leaving out the parts about my being miserable earlier in the day and my feelings on my life at the moment. He nodded and they all laughed at my idiocy. I was happy to amuse them.

"Well that doesn't sound like the crisis situation you made it sound like, Carlisle. Why do you care if Edward brings a pretty girl home anyway?" Emmett asked, winking at me playfully. I felt my face burn a bright red. Edward's eyes narrowed at him and I could hear a slight growl from him as Rosalie elbowed him in the chest. Alice laughed and Esme merely smiled at me. But it was Carlisle's reaction that most surprised me.

"Emmett McCarty Cullen, what possible motivation do you have for making comments like that?" he asked, his face very serious. Emmet, though larger than Carlisle by at least a few inches and outweighing him by an untold amount, shrank back.

"I don't know, Carlisle, I don't see why―"

"She is engaged to Jacob Black," Carlisle said to him. Emmett's eyes widened.

"You idiot," Rosalie muttered before disappearing behind him and back up the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I didn't mean anything by it," Emmett said quickly. I looked at him and then back at Carlisle.

"I…all is forgiven, Emmett. No bruise, no foul as far as I am concerned," I said. He nodded and then quickly retreated in the same direction as his wife.

"I think perhaps it would be wise of you to bring Bella home now," Carlisle said to Edward without his eyes leaving my face with the same puzzled look in them. Edward nodded beside me and without another word he led me back outside.

"What just happened?" I asked. Edward walked with me, silently brooding, walking too fast for me to keep up. And with my unfailing clumsiness I tripped over some unseen obstacle and I tumbled to the ground.

My palms scraped the ground first, and I felt them tear against the rough stones there. The rest of my body hit the ground a moment later. And then so many things happened so fast I was hardly aware of them.

Edward knelt down to help me up, hovering over me while I told him I was fine. And then a noise erupted from his house behind us. It was the most terrifying sound I had ever heard. There was something so feral about it that when I heard it I could not help but shriek. Edward looked up past me at his house. His eyes were filled with terror.

"GO EDWARD!" someone shouted. I didn't know who it was, but the urgency in their voce was enough for the both of us to be up and running before I had the chance to think about it. Before I knew what was happening we were in his stables and then up upon on a horse, riding at a full gallop away from his home. I heard things crashing and breaking and the most terrible shouting. My heart was pounding so fast as we rode off into the night. I couldn't think of anything, not the blood dripping down my hands, not how cold I was, or the fact that I was clinging to Edward so desperately I was likely cutting off his air supply and soaking his shirt in my blood.

I didn't even realize we had gotten back home until the ride abruptly stopped. Edward slid off the saddle and then helped me down slowly. But as soon as my feet touched the ground I collapsed. Edward caught me and kept me from injuring myself further.

"I'm sorry. I don't want you to think I'm this little damsel in distress but I just…"

"Don't try and explain it, Bella, I understand. It's the adrenaline rush. Your body is panicking."

"Edward, what―"

"Please don't ask, Bella. I am not going to ask much of you, but please don't ask."

I nodded and said nothing else. When I was certain I could get to my own feet and not fall over I stood, Edward standing with me.

"I will understand if your answer is no, for any reason, but Bella, I would rather like if you and I could be friends. If I could see you again," he said, the calm confidence in his voice broken with strain, I could not tell if that had more to do with asking me this or what had just happened.

"I would like to se you again as well," I answered. He smiled wanly, as though he truly wanted to, but could not muster the strength.

"I wont tell you that it will be easy or safe. I'm not sure it is the wisest decision either. But that does not stop me from wanting it," he told me. I nodded. I knew what he meant.

"You should have someone look at your hands. They might be shallow cuts but you don't want them getting infected," he said, changing the subject rapidly. I nodded again.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. I wanted to touch him to reassure him that I was fine, but my hands were still red and sticky with my blood. So I only smiled and told him I was fine. Neither of us meant my hands. Without any more words I turned with the utmost reluctance and began to walk towards home, where I could lie down and sleep off this residual confusion and terror.

"Bella," Edward called before I got inside. I turned to look at him, a feat that was only manageable by the now bright moonlight. He smiled at me, a crooked grin.

"I hope you like roses."