A/N - Okay, since last chapter was painfully awkward, I'm giving you this. It's all Edward, all the time. Enjoy.

A big 'Thank You' to every one for reading, you guys rock my socks!

Oh yeah, I own nothing.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Edward

The clock on the bed side table told me it was 7:23 in the morning. I lay, staring up at the ceiling, trying to untangle the overwhelming amount of information Alice accosted me with last night.

First, my sister has been living with Isabella Whitlock for the past two months, but didn't know until Bella told her yesterday. It is clear Bella doesn't like the spotlight, or any light for that matter. Not surprising when you consider the ordeals she's been through in the past ten years, all under the watchful eyes of the American public.

Second, now I too lived with Bella, though I have yet to meet her. The idea of freeloading off this young woman, like my sister has been, disgusted me. I am sure our paths will cross before Alice's Halloween extravaganza tonight, I'd work out some acceptable rent payment with her.

Which brings me to number three. Alice, my pushy, over enthusiastic sister is throwing what I can only guess is a huge costume party in this glorious mansion on Lake Washington. There are sure to be plenty of people. I wonder how much Miss Whitlock actually knows about this inevitable disaster.

Lastly, there's Jasper. Fucking Jasper Whitlock, star of his own HBO miniseries, fawned over by millions of women across the world, worth more money than I could even begin to imagine, and he looks at my little sister with such unerring devotion, I can't even get upset with him. If Alice asked him to jump off a cliff for her, he'd find the highest one around and take a flying leap. He was putty in her hands. I almost felt bad for the guy, falling head over heels for the little pixie in just a few hours. Almost.

I can't take the stillness any longer. I get out of bed, throw on a pair of running shorts, an old tee, my nikes and make my way out of the house. I need to run. With steady, rhythmic strides I take off down the sidewalk.

For an hour I run. I run through a forest of mansions, a manicured paradise, without seeing any of it. My breath is even, matching the pace of my feet. A song forms, meshing with my steady beat, the chords of my breathing, but it is like all the others I've written lately, love found, lost, out of reach. My girl in blue.

The burn in my calves is intense. I slow, take in my surroundings. A small coffee shop catches my eye, the need for water is undeniable. I step inside, and stop dead in the doorway as my eyes fall on chestnut waves and porcelain skin wearing a blue hoodie and jeans.

Someone clears their throat behind me, I am jolted out of my paralysis, stepping aside, out of the doorway, eyes never leaving their mark, my girl in blue. Her back is to me. She is waiting in line, tapping her fingers on her thigh, singing softly under her breath. I step into line behind her, can see the cord of an ear phone, and am intent on hearing her voice.

The words she sings make my heart pound unsteady, chaotic in my chest, surly it will bash it's way out of my form and into her hands, she need only ask. They are my words trilling from her throat, she is singing with me. Listening to me.

The urge to make contact is too much to resist, I step forward, my body an inch from hers. I can smell her. She is fresh baked bread, flowers, strawberries, woman. She is a drug. She is my own personal heroin.

Leaning down, placing my mouth near her ear I ask, "Whatcha listening to?"

She jumps in surprise, landing on my foot, then looses her balance. I catch her. She is fragile, delicate.

Turning her face to me, her liquid chocolate eyes go wide and blood rushes to her face. The color is wild roses, ripe mango. Beautiful. I forget everything in that moment, smile playing on my lips.

She steps back, facing me. "Hi." Her word is breathy, quiet.

"Hi." Her blush deepens, eyes darting to the floor. "I didn't mean to startle you. May I buy you a coffee?"

"Oh, no, its fine. I mean, I'm okay." She nibbles on her lower lip, "Sorry about your foot."

"My fault, really." Holding out my hand to shake hers I add, "My name is Edward."

"Bella," she places small hand in mine, electricity flares through my hand, taking up resident in my chest. I bring her hand to my lips, kissing the back of it softly. Then I do the stupidest thing I will ever do in my life, because lightning strikes in my brain, all the pieces of the twisted puzzle my tricky sister has been building fall into place.

"Bella? As in Isabella Whitlock?"

Instantly her face becomes a blank mask, devoid of all expression. Her hand is summarily removed from my grasp, instantly I miss the contact.

Her words are cold, emotionless. "I don't know how you know me by that name, but please keep it to yourself. My name is Bella Swan. It was nice to meet you Edward but I need to be going." Pivoting on her heals she walks out the door before I can pull my ravaged brain together and form a response.

My phone buzzes. It is the mistress of this tangled spider web.

"Alice, we need to talk."

"Where are you? I wanted to take you to breakfast, then out to do some shopping, you need a costume for tonight, and I have a few things I still need to pick up for the party."

"Why, are you trying to keep me out of the house, Alice?"

There is a pause. "No, why would you say that?"

"I just met Bella."

"Shoot!" I could almost hear the gears in her head working. I don't know what Alice had planned, but I'm sure it didn't involve me announcing Bella's true identity in a coffee shop less then a mile from her home. This was bad, my girl in blue, before just lost in a crowd waiting to be found, was now actively running from me. She would never be mine. Shit.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N - Hope you enjoyed it, there's more to come. ;)