A/N Twilight and all it's characters remain the creation and property of Stephanie Meyer. I just use them in my little puppet theatre mind. Please review if you would be so kind xxx xxx

Chapter 7

Thankfully Bella's snoring quietened some during the hours that followed; turning instead to nothing more than a gentle puff of air and, seeing as there were walls between us, I was able to find sleep too.

I awoke the next morning to the sound of running water and for a moment I panicked.

Reality then set in and I remembered my not so welcomed house guest. A house guessed that had gotten up and was making use of my facilities.

She was going to ruin my routine.

I could not start my day without taking a shower, and she was in it. I had no idea how long she would even be in there for. This in turn would create a delay for me.

My phone suddenly sprung to life and I groaned. I knew who it was going to be without looking.

"What do you want Alice? It's 6:30 in the morning." I mumbled into the receiver.

"Do you not use any kind of pleasantries Edward? …Ever?" She sighed already knowing the answer to that question so not bothering to wait for my reply. "I was just wondering how Bella settled in last night, that's all."

"She's fine Alice" I muttered back.

"Can I talk to her?" She asked giddily, seeming to ignore my less than enthused end of the conversation.

"No, she's in the shower…and before you jump to any conclusions, no, I did not seduce her into my bed. The woman snores like a wart hog. I hope to hell that her memory returns soon and I can be shut of her."

"I never even thought of anything of the kind, Bella my not remember who she is, but she certainly has more sense than to be lured into your bed. Besides how can you be so cold? That poor young Woman is probably going through hell, did you stop and think about how she must feel about all of this...About having no clue who she is or anything?" She scolded me as if she was my Mother.

In truth, I had only briefly thought about it.

"I don't trust her Alice...Why can she not remember who she is but dissect my personality almost to a t...Never mind" I quickly tried to regain control of my pessimistic brain.

"Oh Edward, you're so quick to see the worst in people, I don't get it. We were brought up in the same manner; so how is it you're the only one in the family that has to be so harsh? I spoke to Dad about her last night, about the amnesia…He said people with it don't forget everything, They seem to keep their motor skills intact, things like walking, talking, eating, sleeping. Their personality tends to stay intact too and they remember how to get through a day most of the time, sometimes things can perplex them still thought. She just needs time, and you owe her that much.

"Have you finished?" I questioned, having noticed that the shower had shut off and wanting to get on with my day.

"No, I need you to tell Bella that I'm stopping by to take her shopping…"

"What, is she going to watch you shop? How exhilarating for her" I interjected.

"No dimwit, we'll be shopping for things for her. The poor girl has nothing to her name…that she knows of. She'll need some things to get her by for now." The pixie added as if it was obvious.

"And how is she going to be paying for this stuff you're insisting she needs Alice? The stores don't accept an 'I owe you when I get my memory back." I'd asked the question I dreaded the answer to.

"You're going to break a habit of a lifetime and be generous enough to hand over your American Express card. It's the least…"

"I can do? Alice, how long will it be before I've repaid my debt here, because this is getting a little ridiculous and old. First I have to have her under my roof, using my water; my shirt…Now I have to pay for her a new wardrobe? No!" I pulled the phone away and cancelled the call.

I showered as usual after I'd put down the phone; hoping to regain any kind of normality to my routine. But I'd gotten to a point where I didn't care. So I'd gone through into the kitchen and poured myself a bowl of Captain Crunch, the peanut butter kind. I figured I would have breakfast first, then, I would dress for the day. As I walked back out, back towards my sitting room I saw Bella. She had put my shirt back on and was stretching; her hair was damp and clinging in clumps over her shoulders; the bottom of my shirt rose up to reveal the gentle crest of her milky white stomach. Being a man, my eyes fell lower, noticing the scrap of white fabric that was pretending to be her panties.

I looked away all too quickly as I felt my own loins betraying my.

After a moment I turned back around, only to find her staring back at me.

"Did no one ever tell you it's rude to stare?" I threw my words at her, though I had no reason to do so after I had just been, technically, ogling her.

"Did no one ever teach you it's rude to point?" Quick as a flash she quipped back and nodded towards me.

It was then and, embarrassingly, only then, that I realised my ogling had led to a tent in my pyjama bottoms.

A small victorious chuckle escaped her lips as I went a whole shade of yet to be named red.

Damn.

The rest of the morning, before I left for work, I avoided eye contact with her. She had left me flustered with her quick wit and I didn't like to think someone had gotten one over on me. I avoided eye contact through embarrassment, but I'm sure she took it as me being an ass as I steeled my manner towards her once more.

I had told her just before I left that Alice had insisted on coming over to take her shopping and handed her my card. She looked at it, and me, bewildered.

"Why are you giving me this?" she asked, turning over the plastic in her hand.

"Because you're not allowed to walk out of a store without paying for things, it's called shop lifting." I pressed my lips together and nodded towards her.

"I knew that." She answered in a kind of hoity manner.

I pulled my door closed behind me and hoped Alice would curb her spending and only buy what was necessary…Who was I trying to kid. It was Alice we were talking about.