A/N: So it is time for some Edward and Bella interaction. I hope you guys enjoy their first meeting. As always, please let me know what you think by reviewing. I enjoy your comments tremendously.

I would like to thank Dishie for her support and for being the wonderful person she is. I am very honored to be learning from such a talented writer. I must say that her story 'Rearview Mirror' had me glued to my IPad biting my nails. I hope you guys check it out, it is totally worth it. She writes awesome lemons too!

I also thank TitaRitter for being an amazing Beta. Any mistakes you see are mine.

SM owns Twilight. I just like to play around with it

EPOV

The next few days after Bella arrived, things began to change. Alice started doing her part in Operation Squirrel, adeptly aided by my helpful brother Jasper. He seems to be willing to follow all of her commands.

Alice's job is to talk Bella into trusting my family and I. Bella needs to feel at ease in the house, so that she doesn't become so stressed that she requires additional medication. Alice began her work by informing Bella that she had a crush on Jasper. According to Alice, Bella will be much more receptive to Jasper if she thinks of him as Alice's love interest and possible boyfriend. This doesn't mean she will talk to him or be close in anyway, but it will allow him to be in the same room with her while 'hanging out' with Alice. We hope this will allow him to ease her into becoming friendly with him. So far, my brother seems to be doing a good job because she has said "good morning" and "thanks" to him and even allowed him to see her artwork. I think that is due to the major guilt trips Alice imposes on Bella, but it is still a positive advance.

It is not difficult for Jasper to ease into people. Jazz is very outgoing when he needs to be, but he is also a quiet observer. He watches people rather than participate in conversations, unless he wants to get something out of them. I think he studies people in order to figure out what makes them react in certain ways and then uses the knowledge to convince them to do things his way. This ability has done wonders for my career and seems to be working with Bella, even if the results are not as quick as we would like.

Alice has also been talking to Bella about me. She informed Bella that we have become friends and that she thinks I am very cool. She tells Bella that she hangs out with us after she puts her to bed, which is actually true. In a matter of days, Alice has wormed her pixie self into more than one Cullen heart.

The environment in my home has shifted from being quiet and mournful to warm and happy since the girls arrived. While we have always loved each other, we kind of drifted apart after my mom died, until we stopped hanging out as a family. Alice and Esme's presence has changed that. Now we all eat dinner together and spend time afterwards watching movies in the small theater we have at the house or playing board games while eating all kinds of bad food. My dad and Esme have even joined us a couple of times but usually refrain from pigging out, mentioning their fear of a coronary blockage as an excuse. It's amazing how we have bonded in just a few days. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have a family, one that I hope Bella will join soon.

The fact that Esme was my mom's best friend still blows my mind. She is so much like my mom, it is almost eerie. She has the same calm demeanor and pleasant personality. She is very smart and has a silly sense of humor, although her eyes have a hint of sadness, especially after visiting with Bella.

The fact that Esme was her best friend has given my brothers and me an opportunity to get to know my mom. I have always wondered how she was outside of her mom persona, so we love to bombard Esme with questions about her and their college days. Her stories always leave me smiling because clearly I took after her personality except for the social skills. I have never been able to fit well with people, and my mom was a social butterfly. Still, seeing the similitudes among us makes me feel closer to her and reminds me of how strong our bond was.

My dad acted a little weird around Esme at first, being way too formal and quiet, but eventually warmed up to her. Esme visits Bella almost every day, not only as her therapist, but also as her case worker. She supervises her meals and medicine intake, forcing her to work closely with my Dad since he ended up being the one taking over Bella's medical care.

Instead of sending one of his nurses, he visits Bella four times a day to administer medication and monitors her health closely. He is concerned about Bella's lack of proper nutrition, so he recommended additional vitamins. He even convinced Bella to drink some sort of vegetable juice mixed with proteins, hoping that it will fortify her blood. I know he got involved in her care because he knows how much she means to me, and I cannot be more grateful. I feel better knowing her health is being carefully monitored.

Rose visits Bella whenever Alice goes to school, and although she is not as friendly as Alice, she seems to accept me. She has even agreed to be part of Operation Squirrel, being in charge of keeping Carmen away and reassuring Bella.

Carmen absolutely despises me. After finding out how she has kept Bella in a useless treatment and how she encourages her to retreat from the world, I can positively say that the feeling is mutual, and I truly don't want her around. I have a feeling that she would only upset Bella further.

Alice and Rose have ceased to communicate with her, making it clear that they were outraged by her abhorring behavior towards me. Alice moved in with us, and Rose decided to move in with a friend.

I felt bad about them leaving their home, especially with Rose because I knew she would be living far from her job and would be more costly for her. The day I found out she had moved out, I invited her to live with us.

"You are welcome to stay with us, Rose; there is no need for you to struggle when there are plenty of rooms here for you to stay. I even have a fully equipped gym here that you can use anytime you want," I offered, knowing that Rose was an exercise junkie.

"Thank you, Edward, but I would hate to run into your brother. I think it would be detrimental to his health," she said disdainfully.

"Oh, Rose, don't be such a bitch! The poor guy was only doing his job!" Alice chided.

"Well, there was no need for the attitude" she replied warily.

"You had one of his guards by the balls! He was probably afraid your were a psycho trying to get to Mr. Sexy Pants here," Alice said, pointing towards me. Rose looked me over and chuckled, making it clear she did not think of me as a potential Mr. Sexy Pants.

"Okay, girls, no need to make fun of me ok?" I said, feigning hurt at their lack of interest and causing them to guffaw loudly.

After they sobered up, Alice said "Rosie, we really need your help with Bella. She has been crying herself to sleep because she has not heard from Mom. She has not been eating well either, so we need to do something about Mom"

"I know, Alice, but it is better for us if Mom stays away. You know she doesn't want Bella here, and I am sure she would just guilt trip her into going home. She is already doing better, she seems more focused and is talking more than usual," Rose noted while looking at me meaningfully.

"I know, I have noticed that too" Alice said wistfully. I had a feeling that they were somehow talking about me, but I decided not to pry. I only hoped that whatever change was happening in Bella helped me get close to her.

My prayers were answered rather unexpectedly. On Monday, I went to the pet store to buy some stuff for Bear and saw a plush toy shaped as a bone. I figured Dorito would need toys once he awakes, so I bought it for him. After dinner Jasper and Alice went to her house to pick up a few things she needed for school, so I decided to visit Dorito in order to give him his new toy and give him his pep talk.

I was worried about running into Bella, but Alice made sure she was asleep before she left the house, so I was sure there was no chance for me to run into her. The last thing I wanted was to freak her out when Alice was out of the house.

After grabbing the plush toy from my room, I hobbled my way to his room accompanied by my dear sidekick Bear. When we arrived, the nurse was checking Dorito's vitals, so I asked her a few questions regarding his progress. After a few minutes, she exited the room and left us alone with Dorito. I sat on the bed next to him and petted him while Bear sniffed around him.

According to the vet, Dorito would be in a comma for at least another week since his bones were setting properly. I sat on the bed next to him and began to pet his head. I wanted to cheer him up and let him feel my touch. I worried that he may have felt like I abandoned him, since I had not seen him for a few days.

"How are you doing, buddy?" I said as I rubbed his belly carefully.

"I hope you are happy that your mom found you. She is pushing herself really hard in order to be with you, so I hope you make her proud by fighting hard to get well. She needs you, buddy. Please don't let her down ok?"

I was a bit emotional due to all the turmoil of the last few days. I worried about Bella and was anxious about carrying Alice's plan. I wondered if it would be good for her or if would end up making her worse. I didn't want to wallow in my doubts, so I continued giving Dorito his pep talk, hoping that it would help me clear my head.

"I know you are worried about your mom, but don't worry too much, ok? Just focus on getting better for her. It would make her really sad to lose you, and I know you don't want to see her sad," I whispered.

"You never told me you had such a pretty mom. I gotta say I think you are a very lucky dog. I can only imagine how good it must feel for her to love you so much" I said meaningfully, wondering how good her touch must feel.

"I will make sure your mom is safe and well cared while you are sick, so you can focus on getting well."

I decided to lie down next to him and stretch my knee on the bed since it had begun to throb a little. Bear decided to jump on the bed too and chew on his favorite rawhide.

"I like your mom a lot," I confessed. "She seems to be sad about something, but I hope that you and I will make her smile again. Would you like that?" I questioned the sleeping dog while my thoughts drifted back to Bella, imagining her healthy and smiling while chasing after two tail-wagging dogs.

Bear's ear perked up, and he stood still, letting me know someone was nearby. Since his tail was wagging, I figured the nurse had forgotten something and was returning to the room. She always fed him treats, so I knew that was the reason for his excited tail.

After a few minutes, he walked towards the door, and I assumed he was going to wait for her there, so I didn't bother to look after him. Instead, I placed the plush bone next to Dorito and continue my heartfelt soliloquy.

"I got you something. I know it is not a real bone, but it will make for a fun chew. Bear loves to rip these to pieces. I bet you both will have a great time spreading the left overs all over the house" I chuckled "I think your mom will get a kick out of that"

I suddenly realized I was being watched. I turned around, thinking the nurse was probably wondering about my sanity for talking to a sleeping dog. However, the nurse was nowhere in sight. I looked for Bear and I realized that Bella was standing at the door watching me.

Oh Dear God!

My stomach decided to turn into a butterfly fest the minute I saw her. For a moment I thought I had fallen asleep and was probably dreaming, but she was truly there, standing just a few feet away and watching me. She was wearing pajama pants that had puppies printed all over them and her usual hoodie. She would have looked like a little girl getting ready for bed if she hadn't pulled the hood up and burrowed her head in it while shaking with fear. Regardless, my heart was doing summersaults because I was alone with her for the first time.

However, my excitement died quickly as I remembered that Bella would probably freak out at seeing me there. I knew Alice was away, and I worried about dealing with a potential panic attack on my own. I decided to leave the room, but the crutches made it difficult for me to walk fast and she was standing next to the door making it impossible for me to leave without getting close to her. I was sure that my little squirrel would definitely not like that.

After a moment of awkward silence, I decided to talk to her and attempt to assess the situation.

"Hello, Bella. I didn't know you were awake. I am sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," I muttered nervously. "I just missed Dorito and wanted to pay him a visit. I hope you don't mind,"

Her eyes were glued to the floor, but she began to fidget nervously. I took that as a bad sign. Perhaps she didn't want me talking to her. I decided that attempting to leave would be the best option.

"uh… I can leave now if you want. I just need a minute, so I can make my way to the door. Is that ok?" I asked unsure if that would make the right move.

She finally looked up and slowly moved towards the opposite side of the bed while holding my eyes to her. Her gesture confused me, but I was so mesmerized by the depth of her eyes that I was unable to look away from them.

When she sat down on the bed, I noticed that Bear was wagging his tail excitedly and walking towards her. Thinking he would scare her, I called up to him. "Bear, stop!"

He ignored me completely and continued to approach her gingerly. My heart was beating fast and my hands began to sweat, thinking she was going to start screaming soon. However, she surprised me by reaching down to pet his head. Bear let out a little whine and placed his paws on her knees, rising up to lick her cheek while giving me his "I know better" look.

To my utter astonishment, Bella let out a small giggle when he began to lick her mercilessly. She sobered up quickly and pushed him off from her knees. She then scratched his ears in order to compensate him for the dejection. Bear was more than happy to comply, offering her his left ear for her to scratch. I stood there like a speechless idiot for a few moments, watching them become happily acquainted.

"Snap out of it, Cullen." I thought to myself.

Her eyes seemed to twinkle a bit when Bear gave her hand a couple of loving licks, but she refrained from giggling. I watched her try hard to hide her joy as soon as she felt it, squashing it before it would show. For the thousandth time, I wondered what could possibly have happened to her that made her believe she did not deserve to laugh.

With that question in mind, I decided to try to talk to her. I knew it was a risky move, but since she seemed calmed, I thought I should give it a try.

"He seems to like you," I said softly, hoping not to frighten her.

Bear proved my point by licking her bare feet, causing another small giggle to escape her. My heart swelled with joy at the sound of her laughter. She looked at me for a second before she reached down to hug my dog longingly. She let out a small sigh as she held him, probably missing the embrace of her own dog. Bear was just delighted by the attention, wagging his tail furiously in order to prove it.

"I brought a toy to Dorito, I hope you don't mind. Perhaps I should have asked before. I know some people don't approve of plush toys for their dogs, but I wanted to give him something to look forward to, you know?" I said nervously as I ran my hand through my hair. "I am sorry if you think I overstepped"

She looked at my eyes again while furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. After a few moments she finally said "He loves toys. Thank you"

I sat there dumfounded. I knew my face at that moment had the excited expression my fans wear whenever I have a chance to talk to them. I think she noticed my astonishment because she kept stealing glances at me, perhaps to make sure I was not suffering a stroke.

After a few moments, I managed to connect my brain to my mouth and replied "No problem. I like to buy Bear toys because they keep his mind away from chewing my shoes to pieces. If it is ok with you, I can get some more for Dorito once he wakes up. He will need something to keep him entertained while he recoups" I replied.

Bear then walked to me and prodded my hand with his muzzle. He did this whenever he wanted me to pet him. Bella watched him, obviously amused at his over confident antics.

"He seems to know how to get what he wants" she whispered.

"Ohh you have no idea! However, he knows he needs to earn it first. Watch this!" I said excitedly as I twirled my hand in front of me, indicating to Bear that he needed to turn. Bella watched curiously as he spun in front of me and then bowed his head for me to pet him.

"Now look at this" I indicated as I patted the floor and commanded "Bear, sleep!" My dog quickly dropped to the floor and pretended to sleep.

Bella smiled and giggled. Her whole face brightened up, and I swear she looked as pretty as the morning sun. However, it only lasted about a second before she retreated into her hood, hiding her joy once again. Her leg began to bounce, and she fidgeted nervously reminding me that she was uncomfortable with my presence.

"Am I making you uncomfortable? Would you like me to leave?" I asked, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice.

She didn't reply and her gaze was fixed on the bed. I thought her silence was meant as an affirmation, but I decided to play dumb in order to have a few more minutes with her.

"I am sorry for being weird. I am just not used to talk to people I don't know, it scares me," she explained nervously.

"It is ok, Bella, this may surprise you coming from an actor, but I don't like talking to strangers either. I guess in a way I am also afraid because a lot of the people that approach me have ulterior motives. I have learned that it is always a good idea to get to know a person before you let them get close," I confided.

She seemed surprised by my confession but only nodded in agreement.

"I guess the tricky part is allowing yourself to get to know the person, knowing that there is a fifty percent chance that the person may not be good to you. Still, there is much to gain if you find a good person to be your friend, and you can only do it by giving people a chance."

"I think there is too much evil in the world to even bother being part of it," she claimed.

"I read once somewhere that without the dark we would not see the stars" I replied, saddened by her pessimistic views.

"Some people do not deserve the stars" she replied emphatically.

"Yet the stars still shine for everyone," I countered.

"Perhaps some people prefer the dark," she replied.

"Even if some people hide from them, the stars still shine, hoping that those people give them a chance to brighten their night" I reasoned calmly. At this point, I knew I had become the potential star in her black night and she needed to know that I wanted nothing more than to make her happy.

She watched me carefully, weighing my words. Bear decided he needed another round of attention and jumped on the bed and laid his head on her lap. She smiled softly as she tickled his belly in return.

"I hope he is not making you uncomfortable" I whispered.

"He is ok. He seems to like attention," she replied.

"That's an understatement," I chuckled "He is truly spoiled. I try my best to be a good alpha, but he is very stubborn. I am still working on it though"

"My dad brought Dorito home when he was just a tiny ball of fur with four paws. He warned me not to let him sleep on my bed and explained the basics of being an alpha. I think I lasted two days before I gave up. His sad puppy eyes always got me. Luckily, Alice was immune to them and managed to train him properly." Her eyes brightened at the memory of her father but soon returned to their usual sadness.

"I believe you. She has managed to train my brother in just a few days. Perhaps I should let Bear spend some quality time with her" I teased.

She gave me another shy smile but did not speak again. Instead she scratched Bear's belly and focused her attention on his contented face. I thought that she was done talking to me, so I began to reach for my crutches in order to leave.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my dog. I am not sure how I would have survived if I'd lost him. You risked your life for him and allowed Alice and me to stay here and care for him. You had no obligation to accept a person like me to intrude in your home, so I will forever owe you my gratitude. I don't think I will ever be able to repay your kindness," she said nervously, delaying my departure.

"Bella, you don't need to repay me. I am enjoying having you and Alice as my guests, and I am very happy to help Dorito get better. He has been such a strong fighter; he deserves to have someone in his corner" I replied sincerely.

"I think you would be a better owner to him. I have failed him so many times that I am surprised he has not ran away on his own" she quipped.

"Bella, don't say that. Dogs don't take things personally; on the contrary, they understand our faults and show us the true meaning of forgiveness. I am sure he knows you have never meant to hurt him. He must love you very much" I had to bite my tongue in order to stop myself from adding that I would love her too, if she'd let me.

Bella began to sob uncontrollably, confusing the hell out of me. I had no idea what to do or what had made her cry like that, but I needed to stop her pain. I thoughtlessly moved close to her and wrapped her in my arms hoping to soothe her. She stilled for a moment but soon embraced me forcefully, burrowing her small frame inside my encirclement as if looking for a safe shelter. I hugged her tightly, letting her know I was there for her, that I would protect her.

After a few moments I shifted my position in order to let her rest her head on my shoulder, hoping to make her feel more comfortable. I thought that may make her let go of me, but I did not want her to be sitting uncomfortably. My fears proved to be unfounded because she never let go of me. We just sat like that for a while until her cries ebbed. I felt her sag in my arms and realized that she had fallen asleep.

I carefully leaned against the wall and shifted her in order to help her lean more comfortably against my chest. I looked at her sleeping face and was saddened to see that, even in slumber, her expression was pained. She breathed softly, and I concentrated in matching her breath, wanting to be one with her.

The next thing I was conscious of was some loud arguing coming from the hallway outside. I was trying to remember where I was and figure out what time it was when I realized I was sandwiched between a sleeping Bella and a comatose Dorito. I also noted there was a blanket covering us, and I guessed Alice must have found us there and tried to make us comfortable.

I was basking in the joy of knowing my Bella slept soundly in my arms when Carmen barged into the room, slamming the door against the wall upon her entrance. The loud noise scared Bella, and her reaction was to hide in my arms as she screamed. I tightened my arms in response hoping to calm her but she was practically ripped from my arms. Before I could protest, I felt a slap across my cheek and a blow to my head.

What the hell?

I was stunned for half a second before I became aware of the murderous expression of Carmen's face.

"I knew it!" she screamed. "I knew you wanted to take advantage of her! Did you drug her? What the hell did you do to my child?"

"Mother! Stop it!" Alice yelled.

Carmen turned to her and proceeded to slap her twice, making Rose gasp and Jasper jump in front of Alice, protecting her from further harm.

"How could you leave your sister alone with this asshole, Alice?" Carmen replied icily. "Where you too busy fucking your new boy toy that you could bother to care for her?"

"Shut the fuck up," I roared, unable to contain my anger "Who the hell you think you are to come into my house and assault me and myguest?"

"Who the hell am I? I am the legal guardian of the girl you are taking advantage of and the mother of your guest," She replied sarcastically.

"What the hell are you talking about? I haven't taken advantage of Bella! I would never hurt her!" I yelled.

Somewhere in the back of my mind a little voice tried to remind me that I was yelling not only to a woman, but to Alice's mom. However, my anger at seeing her physically hurt Alice and at the way she was making Bella cry made it impossible for me to think clearly.

Carmen attempted to slap me again, but I grabbed her hand midair. "No, you won't, ma'am. You are not going to touch me again, and if you don't want me to call the police on your sorry ass, you better be leaving my property immediately!" I threatened.

Carmen glared at me in defiance as she pulled her hand away from me. "I am taking Bella home, and if you try to stop me, I would be the one to put you in jail. I will also go to the media and let them know what you are trying to do to a girl who is mentally incapacitated. By the time I am done with you, you will be lucky to find work in a circus" She menaced.

Bella's cries intensified and her breath became labored. Rose hugged her and attempted to get her out of the room, but Bella did not cooperate. Jasper got between Carmen and me, asking us to calm down while eyeing Bella meaningfully, reminding us that we were scaring her.

"Both of you please calm down. Bella is upset and this is not good for her," he said.

"Of course this is not good for her! He wants to get into her pants!" Carmen replied outraged.

"Carmen! Please, leave now!" Alice commanded.

Alice's tone and the fact that she had not referred to her as 'mom' made Carmen flinch, but she recovered quickly and walked towards Bella pulling her off the bed.

"Bella, we are going home. C'mon!" she instructed her.

Bella yelped and refused Carmen's touch.

"I don't want to leave. Please don't take me away!" she cried.

Carmen blanched at Bella's request but made no effort to stop pulling her. "Bella, you don't understand, sweetheart. These people are strangers, Bella, and they are not good people. Cullen wants to take you away from me because he wants to hurt you, baby, but you can't see it because you are too innocent. He wants to hurt you the way Marcus did" She said calmly.

Bella gasped and began to scream hysterically "I don't want to leave! Mommy! Daddy! Please make it stop! Make it stop!" as she sagged to the floor.

"Stop saying that to her! I would never hurt her. EVER!" I roared. I had no idea who Marcus was or what he had done, but judging by Bella's reaction it was something bad.

Carmen kept pushing her toward the door, undeterred by her pleas. Seeing her fight so hard to stay awoke the animal in me. I pushed Carmen off her and crouched in front of Bella. Carmen tried to bypass me and grabbed Bella's arm.

"Get your hands off her!" I growled.

"I am taking her home, I am her LEGAL guardian!" She bellowed to my face.

"Over. My. Dead. Fucking. Body!" I replied angrily while pulling Bella into my arms. Carmen would have to kill me before I let her force Bella to do something she didn't want.

"Jasper, escort this woman to the door and make sure she doesn't come back," I ordered

"I will be back in ten minutes, Cullen, with the police in tow ready to put your ass in jail," Carmen taunted me.

"I'll be waiting" I answered serenely, but my voice was laced with unadulterated ire.

A/N: I bet you guys are really not liking Carmen by now. She means well but is completely wrong about her approach. Next week we will get Bella's view on what is going on between her and Edward. I really want to know what going on in that head of hers. Don't you?

Please be kind to me and leave me some love!