Author's Note: I am sooooo sorry it took me so long to update. My computer caught a virus and I lost everything on it. It was very depressing. And I also have two jobs and I'm working my butt off because there is so much to pay for this year. Anyway, school starts in a week so I'm hoping to keep posting as much as I can until then. Not sure if I can guarantee anything though.

Disclaimer: Me = Own Nothing

I don't know why Esme made me go out and buy this stupid new T.V. Emmett's the one who broke the last one. I had planned on sitting around and playing the piano all day but no. I had to go out and buy this stupid thing. I hate shopping, no matter what it's for. I hate reading everyone's thoughts. Why can't there be one person in the whole world whose mind I can't read? Then I could…whoa. Why do I smell human blood? As I got closer to the front door I heard the faint sound of a heart beat getting louder and louder as I got closer and closer.

This is weird…

I walked into the house and was about to follow the sound of everyone's thoughts to the living room when I decided to follow the sound of the heartbeat upstairs. I followed the sound all the way to my room. Slowly and carefully, I opened the door, not sure what might be on the other side. There was a young girl – eleven or twelve maybe – with long brown hair. She was sleeping, though I did notice her black eye and swollen lip.

That wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

"Um, Alice?" I called, though so low that the girl wouldn't wake up. I pulled the door shut and raced downstairs. "Why is a little girl sleeping in my bed?" Not that I used it or anything…

"Her name is Bella Swan and she's twelve years old." Alice began. I knew it was going to be a story so I leaned against the wall behind me. "She's Chief Swan's daughter. You saw her face, right?" I nodded. "Well Emmett and I were on our way back from hunting when we saw her sleeping under a tree. We weren't going to go up to her but I saw what would happen if we didn't and…it wasn't pretty." She sighed. "She needs our help." I leaned my head against the wall and listened to Bella's heart beating in a very peaceful, steady rhythm. There was silence until Esme spoke.

"We're going to have to tell her," Esme began.

"No." Rosalie and I hissed at the same time.

"Listen." Rosalie began, "I want to help her as much as you all do but it's too dangerous! She could expose us, on accident or not, she's only twelve. And what happens if the Volturi find out? They would kill us."

"Not only that," I continued, "But think of what they would do to her." Esme sighed.

"Well." She started, "We'll see how it goes I suppose. If she's really oblivious then we won't have to tell her but if she starts asking questions then we'll sit her down and tell her together, agreed?" We nodded just as Bella started to talk in her sleep. Her heart rate and her breathing picked up and I heard her toss and turn.

Without thinking about it, I rushed to the bottom of the staircase, ready to run up there at any moment. I felt this sudden urge to protect her no matter what and I hadn't even talked to her yet!

She screamed and I ran up to my room and burst through the door to find her hugging her knees to her chest and looking at me with big brown eyes, crying. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"W-Who are you?" She asked. I could hear the fear in her voice. I smiled at her, hoping to make her feel more comfortable before I walked over to the bed and sat down by her feet.

"I'm Edward Cullen, Alice and Emmett's brother." I introduced, though not shaking her hand of course, "now, you didn't answer my question. Are you okay?" I asked again, hoping to get an answer this time.

"I'm fine." She muttered, sniffling and wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"You don't look fine." I pointed out.

"It was just a nightmare," She sighed, "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself." She crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly. I was going to argue with her but, instead, I stood up and walked over to the door, ready to leave.

"Come downstairs whenever you're ready." I told her, closing the door behind me.

"That was nice." Alice beamed at me. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall again, staring out the window while I listened to Bella's shuffling feet upstairs.

Why do I feel so protective of this girl? We only just met but I felt like she would be in our lives much longer than we thought. I was also angry at her father for hurting her. Isn't it a father's job to protect his daughter? Not to hurt her so much that some strangers – who happen to be vampires – have to save her from him. Every child deserves better than that, though I'm not exactly sure if we're that.

"Edward!" Alice exclaimed. I seemed to have zoned out because Bella was sitting on the couch, looking at me cautiously.

"Sorry." I muttered, looking back out the window while I listened to the conversation.

"Bella, dear, would you mind telling us what happened to you?" She asked. It was a simple question.

"If I do, will you tell me why you're helping me?" I glanced over in time to see Esme nod and glanced back. Bella took a deep breath and began to tell us about her childhood. It was very vague, but it made it easier to understand the situation. "Well, the other night I was making dinner and I had gotten caught up in my homework so I forgot about it and it burned. That made him mad, so he started calling me names that shouldn't be repeated, ever. I couldn't keep my mouth shut and I told him that it wasn't surprising that my mom left him. And I knew why she left him." She took a deep breath before she continued. It sounded like she was trying to keep herself from crying. "Um. Oh yeah, and then he called me worthless and said I would never do anything with my life before he punched me in the face. I'm not really sure what happened after that, because I blacked out, but I woke up like this. Charlie was passed out on the couch so I went to look at what he did. When I saw everything was when I knew I had to leave." There was a pause and I glanced back over at her to see her wiping the tears from her eyes with a stubborn look on her face. "So I packed everything I thought I would need, took some money from his wallet, and left. I didn't really think it through, but I figured that if I stayed any longer, Charlie might wake up." She sighed and looked at Carlisle, waiting for him to speak.

She seems to think that she really is worthless. – Jasper

I feel bad for her but that doesn't mean we have to put the family at risk. – Rosalie

We need to make sure he never hurts her again. – Esme

"Bella," Carlisle began calmly. "We want to help you because no one should have to go through what you went through." Bella gave him a skeptical look.

She doesn't believe me. He thought.

"Why me though? I'm nothing special or anything." She said it as though she were stating a fact. Like it was obvious and everyone knew it.

"Bella, you are a one of a kind girl and I don't want to hear you say otherwise. I know we've only just met but I can already tell how amazing you are and I know that we're going to be good friends." Alice comforted. Bella stared at her blankly for a moment before there was a knock on the door. Bella gasped and ducked under Emmett's arm.

"Forks police! Open up!"

"Quickly, Bella, upstairs to Edwards room. They might be looking for you. Edward, answer the door." I nodded and made my way to the door. Once I was sure Bella was safe upstairs, I opened the door. "Hello, officers. What can I do for you today?" I asked, pretending like nothing was wrong. Thankfully I'm a good liar. There were two officers; one was tall and lanky while the other was short with long hair.

"Good Afternoon, son. Are your parents home?" The shorter one asked. I nodded.

"Mom! Dad! The police are at the door." I yelled as if they didn't already know. Very human like.

Yes officer? How can we help you? I hope none of the children are in trouble." Esme said once she and Carlisle were standing between the cops and I.

"No, ma'am. We were just wondering if you've seen this girl." The taller officer said, taking a picture out of his pocket and showing it to them. It was a picture of Bella. They both shook their heads.

"Nope. I haven't seen her." Esme said before she glanced up at Carlisle.

"Hmm, I haven't seen her either."

"Well she had an accident before she ran away so she might be in to the hospital soon." The taller man said.

"If we see her we will let you know." Carlisle smiled. The police officers nodded and walked back to the car.

"Why did you tell them I wasn't here?" Bella's voice rang from the top of the staircase as soon as Esme closed the door. All of us exchanged a look before Esme answered.

"Bella, we couldn't exactly tell them you were here. That would defeat the whole purpose of helping you." She explained with a smile.

"But…you're going to get in trouble."

She was worried about us? But she's just a little girl, she should be worrying about herself. Not us.

Emmett laughed. "We can take care of ourselves if it comes down to it. Protecting you from him is our biggest priority right now." Bella frowned and stomped her foot.

"I don't need protecting. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. I don't want you guys to get into trouble because of me." She stomped back upstairs and slammed my bedroom door shut.

Esme sighed, "She's a stubborn one."

"She'll come around, just give it time." Alice said, turning to face Carlisle. "You should go up and look at her bruises. Take pictures and stuff just in case we need them."

I had a feeling Alice wasn't telling us all that she knew.

Author's Note: I wasn't quite sure how to end it, so I know the ending is kind of bad. Sorry!

Preview:

"This can't be happening to me." I whispered before I raced upstairs, slamming my bedroom door shut and throwing myself onto my bed.

---Italian-Princess