A/N: Thanks to all of you that have put me on alert and left such sweet reviews.

Before we get into the next chapter, I wanted to let you know about how I come up with the titles of the chapters. I've specifically chosen songs that reflect what is going on in each one, and I've placed links to the MP3's in my profile. My suggestion is for you to listen to the song before reading the chapter. It will help to put you in the mindset of the characters and reveal a bit about what they're thinking and feeling. There is always a method to my madness.

As always, SM owns all things Twilight. I own Lily, which is more than enough for me.

The song this chapter was named for is "Come Home" by OneRepublic.

Chapter Four

Come Home

EPOV

It took me forever to get Lily to settle down and go to sleep once we got home. Every sentence seemed to begin and end with "Bella, Bella, Bella." While I was thrilled beyond words that she'd taken to Bella so easily, I knew that if she didn't pass out soon, I would have a very grumpy six-year-old on my hands in the morning, and a tired, cranky Lily was decidedly no fun whatsoever.

After kissing her goodnight, I closed the bedroom door and went in to the living room, kicked my shoes off and flopped down on the couch. I crossed my arms behind my head and laid back, staring at the ceiling in the dark. The events of the day were playing on a constant loop in my mind, and they just wouldn't stop. Not that I'd wanted them to. It seemed that thoughts of Bella were bound and determined to consume every single one of my waking moments.

The feeling coursing through me as I watched Bella with Lily at the restaurant could only be described as pure, unadulterated joy. They were easy and natural with one another, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from them. Anyone watching us at the table together would have thought we were simply a mother and father enjoying dinner with their daughter...a family.

It was what I should have had with Tanya, and Lily deserved nothing less. And then, for the briefest of moments, sadness crept up and enveloped me. I felt that somehow I'd been letting my child down, and the ache in my chest at that realization threatened to bring me to my knees. There was so much that my beautiful little girl was missing out on, simply because her parents just weren't able to get their shit together. The guilt was nearly more than I could bear. But seeing Bella hold Lily's hand as if she were her own gave me a sense of hope I hadn't dared to feel before that day.

I had long ago resigned myself to the fact that there was a very good chance I'd be alone forever, but when Bella raised her hand to meet mine against the window...that little bit of hope I'd felt grew exponentially larger. Watching her pull away in the taxi left me feeling as if a little piece of my heart was going with her.

When my phone began to vibrate in my pocket, I pulled it out and smiled when Bella's name appeared on the display.

"Hey, Bella! I didn't think I'd be hearing from you so soon," I said with excitement in my voice. My heart sank immediately when I heard her sobbing.

"Bella!" I screamed. "What's wrong? You're scaring me. Please tell me what's happened." I was in a full-on freak out, jumping off the couch and pacing the living room like a madman.

"I...someone...broke in...was here when I got home..." she stammered out through her tears.

My throat constricted and my head began pounding at the thought of her being hurt in any way. All I could think of was getting to her. "Have you called the police?" I asked, probably a bit more loudly than necessary.

"Uh-huh," she mumbled, and relief momentarily washed over me, knowing the cops would soon be on their way. Her sobs quickly broke through my relief, though. It was pure torture listening to her and knowing I wasn't there to console her.

My brain suddenly went in to crisis-mode. I needed a plan of action. First, find someone to watch Lily. Second, get to Bella. Third, get her out of there and bring her home where she would be safe with me.

"Okay, here's what you're going to do, Bella," I began in what I hoped was a soothing and rational voice. "First, I need you to calm down. Do you think you can do that for me, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she replied shakily. She was killing me with the one-word replies. I couldn't tell if she was really alright or not.

"Good. That's good," I continued. "Now I want you to check that all of your doors and windows are locked, and then I want you to sit there and wait for the police. Don't let anyone in unless it's the police or me, okay?"

"Okay," she sniffled.

"Give me the address, Bella. I'm going to get my neighbor to watch Lily and I'll be there as soon as I can."

She gave me her address and I told her that everything would be alright before hanging up. I threw on my shoes and flew downstairs to my neighbor's door, knocking loudly and praying she was home.

"Edward!" Mrs. Cope exclaimed when she saw the worried expression on my face. "What's wrong? Is Lily hurt?"

"No, Mrs. C. Lily is fine. But a friend of mine isn't, and I need to hurry up and get to her. Would you mind watching Lily for me?"

"Of course not, Edward. I'd be happy to," she replied.

"I don't know how long I'll be, but help yourself to anything up there -" I began, but she cut me off.

"Nonsense. Bring her down here. I have the spare bed, and she can stay with me for the night so you can take care of your friend without worrying about rushing back."

"Oh, god, thank you Mrs. C. I'll just go grab her and be right back."

I ran upstairs, grabbing my wallet and keys before gathering Lily in my arms and locking the door behind us. She stirred and sniffled, then looked up at me.

"Daddy, what's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry I woke you, baby," I replied. "I have to go out for a little while, and Mrs. C. is going to watch you, okay?"

"Where are you going?" she asked, the concern evident in her eyes.

"I'm going to get Bella, honey. I'm bringing her home. Is that alright with you?"

She smiled and nodded before laying her head back against my shoulder. Mrs. Cope took her from my arms and promised me that she'd take good care of her.

"I'll pick her up in the morning. Thank you, Mrs. C. I owe you one." I told her.

"It's no problem, Edward, dear. I hope your friend is alright."

"Me too," I replied nervously before turning my attention to Lily. "Be good for Mrs. Cope, baby. I'll see you in the morning." She nodded sleepily as I kissed her goodbye.

I ran outside and flagged down the first gypsy cab I saw. I didn't care that it was illegal, and I certainly didn't care how much he charged me. All I could think about was getting to Bella. I gave the driver the address and told him there was an extra fifty in it for him if he got me there as fast as possible.

It only took us fifteen minutes to reach Bella's apartment, which was a miracle in and of itself, but it felt more like an hour. I knew she wasn't hurt, and I was more than grateful for that, but the thoughts of what could have happened to her raced through my mind and threatened to drive me insane. I just found you, Bella, I thought. I can't lose you now...

The car hadn't even stopped and I'd already thrown money over the seat and raced out of the door. I pressed the buzzer for her apartment and shifted on the balls of my feet, anxiously waiting for her to buzz me in.

I heard the speaker switch on. "It's Edward, Bella. Please let me up."

The door buzzed and unlocked, and I took the stairs two at a time until I reached the landing in front of the fifth floor. I stopped momentarily when I saw her at the top of the stairs and swallowed thickly when I saw her. She looked as if she were about to break down, so I quickly closed the distance between us and gathered her into my arms. Her body shook with heavy sobs, and I did and said everything I could to try to console her.

When she calmed some, I led her in to the apartment so we could speak to the police.

They took hours to process the apartment for evidence, even though it seemed like an open and shut case of random robbery. I was beyond livid that someone would do this to her, but I was grateful that all the evidence alluded to the fact that Bella hadn't been a target in any way. I wouldn't even allow myself to think about what could have happened if she was. It was most likely a junkie looking to steal something to sell for dope money, the police had explained. No matter what the intent was, there was no way in hell I was letting Bella stay there for one more minute.

When they finally left, I told Bella to pack whatever she needed and that I was taking her home. For the first time since dinner, I saw her smile, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

* * *

We rode home in a comfortable silence. I kept one arm around her shoulder the entire time, wanting...no, needing to comfort her. I reveled in the feel of her head against my shoulder, and memorized the sound of her breathing as she fell asleep.

"Bella, sweetheart, you need to wake up," I whispered as I stroked her cheek. We had arrived home and I wanted nothing more than to get her inside, safe and protected on my watch.

Her eyelids fluttered open and my heart pounded in my chest at the sight of her waking up in my arms. It felt so right, just holding her and having her next to me. I took her hand and helped her from the car after paying the driver.

When we were inside, I led Bella in to our apartment and directly into my bedroom. She looked at me curiously, but remained silent.

"You can sleep in here until we get your bedroom set up. I'll sleep in Lily's room," I said.

"Oh, no, Edward," she replied. "I couldn't let you do that."

I dropped her bag on the bed and turned to face her. I took her hands in mine and squeezed them gently. "Bella, you had an awful experience tonight. Please don't argue with me. Just...just let me do this for you."

It seemed for a moment she would protest, but she must have thought better of it. I'm certain she could tell there would be no changing my mind on the subject.

"Thank you for coming to get me, Edward," she whispered, her hands still tightly clutching mine. "I don't know what I would have done without you there." Tears began to fall from her eyes again, and I lifted my hands to her cheeks to wipe them away.

"Shh," I said, trying desperately to soothe her. "I swear, Bella, you'll always be able to count on me."

She leaned in to my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. Though I hated the reason behind her need for my touch, I reveled in it all the same. I stroked my hand down her hair as I held her tightly, feeling the slow decrease of her breathing as she began to calm down. "You'll be safe here with us. I'll protect you," I promised.

Suddenly, her head flew away from my chest and she stared at me with her wide, impossibly beautiful eyes. "Oh, my god!" she exclaimed. "I have to call Alice and Jasper. They need to know what happened."

She ran to her bag and fumbled around for a moment before pulling out her phone. I walked over and gently took it from her grip. "Here, let me," I offered. "You've had to re-tell the story too many times tonight already. I'll take care of it. Why don't you take a bath and try to relax?"

"Are you sure? You don't have to do this," she stated.

"I'm more than happy to. Go ahead. There are clean towels in the linen closet. Take all the time you need."

"That sounds really good right now, actually," she admitted with a small sigh. "Here, let me pull up Jasper's number for you."

She took the phone from me and found the number, then handed it back before grabbing her bag and walking towards the door. She stopped when she was right in front of me and took hold of my free hand. "Thank you, Edward. I honestly don't know what I did to be so lucky to have met you. I'm so grateful for what you've done for me tonight."

A small smile graced her lips before she walked out of the room. This is only the beginning, Bella, I thought.

When I heard the water running, I left the bedroom and went in to the living room, dropping down on the couch. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

I pressed send and waited for Jasper to answer. "Hey Bells! What's up? You never call my phone, darlin'!" I chuckled at his slow, easy drawl.

"Actually, Jasper, this is Edward Masen, Bella's new..." New what? Roommate? Friend? Man who was hopelessly in love with her? I took the easy way out as I finished my sentence. "Roommate."

"Is Bella alright? Did something happen?" I liked the man instantly when I heard the concern for her in his voice.

"She's fine, Jasper. A little shaken up, but she's safe," I replied. I heard him exhale loudly in obvious relief.

"What happened, Edward?" he asked, still not calm by any means.

"Listen, I don't know how to tell you this, man, but your apartment was broken into tonight. Bella walked in on the person who did it."

"Jesus fuck!" he yelled. "He didn't touch her, did he?"

"He knocked her down and then took off down the fire escape. She's wasn't hurt, but he sure did scare the hell out of her before he got away."

"Christ. Where is she now?"

"She's here at home with me. I wouldn't let her stay there by herself." I replied.

"Thank you, man," he exhaled, obviously relieved. "I owe you one. Can she stay with you until we get back? We'll be home on the 2nd."

"Actually, since she'd planned on moving in next weekend, I think it's best if she just stays here from now on. I'll talk to her tomorrow and arrange to get her things brought here."

"That's really great of you, Edward. I'm glad she's got someone to keep an eye on her. So tell me, how bad is the damage to the apartment?"

"Bella said that her jewelry is gone, and that Alice's was missing as well. The guy seriously tore the hell out of your place, but the cops seem to think it's just a random robbery. They've dusted for prints and everything, but who knows if they'll ever find the guy. Bella has the police reports with her here."

"Well, it's just stuff. It can all be replaced," he said. "Bella, on the other hand, cannot. Thank you again for looking out for her."

"Trust me, it's entirely my pleasure. Look, do you want me to get someone over to your place to clean it up? I asked. "It's no trouble. We can have it back to relative normalcy by the time you get home. You shouldn't have to come back to this shit."

"That would be great, man. Just tell me how much I owe you when we get back."

"Alright, I think I hear Bella. I'm going to get her settled for the night. Call if you need anything, okay?"

"Actually, how do you feel about telling my fiance about this? She's gonna flip, and I don't want to be around when that happens," he said with a heavy laugh.

"Sorry, man, no can do. I think I've got enough on my plate here," I chuckled.

"Thanks again, Edward. Bella wasn't lying when she told Alice you were a nice guy. Beers are on me when I get back. Take care of our girl."

"Will do. You've got my word on it." I promised.

I disconnected the call and smiled. Bella had been in my life for less than a week and she'd already brought so many amazing things into it. I was pretty sure a new friend was now being added to the list.

I heard Bella padding towards the living room, and turned to face her. She looked adorable and unbelievably sexy in her Cubs t-shirt and yoga pants. "That was a quick bath," I stated.

"I'm more of a shower girl," she replied as she sat down next to me.

"I like your shirt," I said, smiling brightly at her.

"What can I say?" she shrugged. "I'm a glutton for punishment. They suck, but I can't help loving them."

"Well, then, I'm a glutton for punishment, too. How are you holding up?" I asked. She looked pretty good for a person who'd just been robbed and practically assaulted, but I needed to hear her say the words.

"I'm doing pretty well, all things considered," she admitted. "How was your conversation with Jasper?" The look on her face told me she felt awful for what had transpired in her friends' apartment.

"He was obviously very concerned about you, but I assured him you were safe here with me. He sounds like a great guy."

"He and Alice are both amazing," she stated, raising her hand to her mouth and yawning loudly. "I don't know what I'd do without them."

"You're exhausted. Let's get you tucked in and we can figure out the rest of the mess in the morning. Do you think you can call in to work tomorrow?"

She simply nodded sleepily, so I rose from the couch and took her by the hand, leading her back to the bedroom. I didn't bother to turn the lights on before I pulled the comforter and sheets back and motioned for her to crawl in. She laid down on her side facing me and I pulled the covers over her and tucked them under her chin.

"You're very good at that," she grinned.

"Well, I'm a dad. I've had lots of practice." I leaned forward and kissed her temple. I knew it was a bit forward, but it just felt right. "Sweet dreams, Bella. I'll see you in the morning."

I turned to leave, but she caught me by the hand before I could. "Edward, would you mind staying with me, at least until I fall asleep. I know I'm safe here, but I'm still just a little freaked out."

"I'd be happy to, sweetheart." I sat down on the floor and leaned in to the bed, keeping my hand tightly in hers.

"Goodnight, Edward," she said softly.

"Goodnight, Bella."

I watched her face as she closed her eyes, listening as her breathing slowed. I enjoyed every second of being that close to her, and as terrible as the events of the night were, I couldn't help but smile.

I had asked Bella to come home...and she said yes.