Chapter 9: Childhood Fears

BPOV

I awoke to a crash of thunder as the entire room lit up by the light of the lightning. I hated thunderstorms they always gave me the creeps, and most of the time I always ended up crawling into bed with my brother. I curled myself into a little ball trying to stop myself from crying. Thunderstorms always made me think of the time I had gotten lost in the woods.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked me obviously hearing my sniffling.

"I'm fine." I lied trying to get myself together. I couldn't let him see me that way. I heard the squeek of the bed and his footsteps before I felt him sit on the edge of my bed.

"Bella, what's wrong?" He asked obviously very concerned his hands rubbing small circles on my back.

"It's nothing." I said trying to force a smile as the thunder cause me to jump and a tear to escape my eyes.

Edward immediately pulled me into him as I rested my head on his chest. I knew it was stupid to still be affected by storms that way, but it always took me back to that summer when I was eight.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I want you to know that I'm here." He said softly as I tried to focus on his steady heartbeats instead of the rain, lightning, and thunder.

He held me close to him as slowly started to regain control. His fingers were buried in my hair as he simply held me. "Everything is going to be alright." He assured me his gentle voice making me forget the pounding rain. I opened my eyes to see that my tears had stained his shirt.

"I'm sorry." I said moving away only to lean my head on his shoulder while trying to dry the stain.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He replied before his lips kissed the top of my head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I shrugged as one of his arms wrapped more securely around me. "It's a long story." I added.

"We have time." He answered with a smile.

"Don't laugh at me." I warned as he nodded in agreement. It was all suddenly very clear to me.

BPOV (flashback to when she was eight)

"Can I play?" I asked Emmett and his friends who were playing hockey in the middle of our street.

"This games isn't for baby girls." One of his friends answered cruelly as I looked up at my brother to defend me. Emmett simply stood there staring at the floor.

"But I'm not a baby!" I yelled back as all the boys, but my brother, began to laugh.

"But you're a girl!" Another boy added. "And girls have cooties!"

I simply glared at them before running towards our house at the end of the block. I couldn't believe that my brother hadn't defended me. He always played with me, but ever since he got his new friends I wasn't good enough. I ran to the front porch of my house walking inside as I heard my parents arguing loudly in the kitchen. They obviously had not heard me come in.

"It's my job, Renee!" My dad yelled. "And if I'm ever going to become Chief, we need to make some sacrifices!"

"It seems that's all I do, Charlie." My mom stated angrily. "The children barely see you anymore."

"They understand." Charlie answered as he moved around the kitchen no doubt preparing his dinner to take it to the station. My dad never ate dinner with the rest of us, he was always too busy.

"No, they don't. Emmett was asking when you were going to take him fishing. You have been promising to take him for months. You even missed Bella's dance recital." My mom replied.

"What do you want me to do?" Charlie asked as I stayed frozen near the kitchen door. "Do you want me to leave?"

"If you think you should the door is always open." My mom yelled as I felt my throat constrict, my dad couldn't leave,

"I may just do that, Renee." He responded slamming the back door of the house.

I felt the hot tears stinging my eyes as I ran outside watching my dad drive away in his cruiser. He wasn't coming back. I ran to the backyard and into the woods. I had to get away, I was never going to see my dad away, I ran as fast as I could until my feet couldn't move anymore. I didn't care about scrapes and cuts I received as tripped over the plant roots and rocks, I just needed to get away, far away.

I ended up curled in a little ball under massive trees as the sky began to turn dark and the rain began to pour. At first I welcomed the feeling of the rain, but as the thunder and lightning began I realized I was alone. I didn't know where I was, and I didn't know how to get back. I was hungry and thirsty, and I wanted my parents and my brother.

I sat alone in the forest the tears streaming down my face as the thunder crashed above me, the only light coming from the lightning. But the lightning only cast an eerie glow on the trees. I sat scared and alone for hours, cold and wet. Until I heard people calling my name, but even then I couldn't respond.

Everything had gone black, and I awoke to the feeling of my mom holding me. My dad sat on the bed as well holding my hand as my brother sat in the corner looking scared. I was so relieved to see my parents that nothing else mattered at that moment.

EPOV

I listened to Bella's story as a small tear escaped her eyes. I couldn't possibly imagine the kind of terror she must've experienced all alone as a child. I couldn't change what had happened, but I could comfort her. I could only hold her until she felt better. I could be there for her.

"I never told my parents what I had heard." She admitted sadly. "The only one who has ever heard the story has been my brother. I used to sneak into his room during thunder storms."

"Well, the storm is almost over." I commented noticing that the rain had dulled to just tiny drops.

"Will you stay with me?" She asked shyly biting her lip. I looked into her brown eyes still laced with sadness, and I knew I couldn't say no. Not that I wanted to refuse.

"Sure." I said as I got under the covers wrapping my arm around her as she settled her head on my chest.

"Thank you, Edward." She whispered as I lazily played with her hair.

"No problem." I replied kissing the top of her head the strawberry scent of her shampoo enveloping me.

I slowly began to hum an unknown tune as she settled to sleep. It was not a very spacious fit, but I had never been more comfortable. This is where I belonged, and I knew I was about to get the best sleep of my life.

BPOV

Morning came much too quickly, and before I knew it the sun was hitting my face. I opened my eyes realizing that my head was resting on Edward. I instantly blushed as the events of the night before. I couldn't believe that I had told him, I had never told a soul before.

I looked at his face and smiled. He looked so peaceful when he slept. His features were softer, but still very define. His lips were so enticing that I was tempted to simply kiss him. I felt the well defined muscles of his abs under my arm and the steady rhythm of his breathing. I became so entranced while staring at him that I barely noticed when his eyes slowly opened and his mouth broke out into a smile.

"Good morning." I whispered.

"It is a very good morning." He added with his dazzling smile.

"Thank you for staying with me." I said again as he nodded.

"You don't have to thank me." He stated as I blushed slightly.

"You didn't have to." I interjected still slightly pink.

"I know, but I wanted to." He corrected as there was a knock on the door. Our moment was officially ruined.

I reluctantly rolled completely off of him immediately feeling empty and incomplete. He frowned slightly before getting up to answer the door.

"Hi, Edward." I heard Lauren's sickening sweet voice say as I held back a laugh. Edward had answered the door in his pajama pants and a sleeveless shirt. Lauren had to be enjoying the view, a fact that made me slightly jealous. I selfishly didn't want to share what wasn't mine. Yet.

I had come to the conclusion that Edward would be mine. The attraction between us was undeniable, and I had to do something about it. What I was to do, I wasn't sure.

"What did Lauren want?" I asked Edward when he closed the door with a roll of his eyes.

"She wanted to know whether we were ready yet." He answered going to get his clothes for the day.

"She wanted to check you out." I added getting out of bed and walking to my dresser.

"She doesn't like me." He complained and I couldn't help but laugh hysterically. Poor Edward was totally clueless.

"She asked you if you were single. That's pretty good indication that she likes you." I added as he rolled his eyes again going into the bathroom to shower and change.

EPOV

I couldn't concentrate on anything but Bella. The first thing I had seen when I had woken up was her beautiful brown eyes, and my body ached to have her back in my arms. I looked over at Bella who was working on the activity log while the campers enjoyed time in the indoor game room. Our first day off was the following day, and I really wanted to spend it with her. In reality I wanted to take her somewhere special, but I had yet to get the courage to ask her.

"It's not polite to stare." She commented biting the pen top. I had not realized that I had been staring.

"Sorry." I mumbled slightly embarrassed that I had gotten caught, she simply smiled. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did." She replied with a laugh before turning her complete attention to me.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" I inquired silently praying that she had no plans. I really shouldn't have had waited so long.

"I was going to go by the lake and read." She answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Would you like to go with me somewhere?" I questioned as she looked at me curiously.

"Where?" She asked.

"It's a surprise." I teased watching her eyes light up with interest.

"I don't like surprises." She added with a slight smile leaning towards me.

"It is a yes or a no answer." I responded with a smile my hand reaching to move a strand of her silky soft hair.

"You have me intrigued." She replied as my smile grew wider. She had accepted, yet I was unsure just how she would react to the surprise. I had not known about her fear of woods when I had planned our excursion. Yet, it seemed that she was more afraid of the rain than the woods.

"Good." I said before our friends walked into the room their campers running into the game room.

A/N: What do you guys think? I gave you a small snapshot into Bella's childhood, which will be important later on.

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I hope to have another update for this story tonight since I have a clear picture of what I want. So it shouldn't take me too long. My update for Forever and Always will be done as soon as I close the poll and decide how to proceed with the story. Remember suggestions are always welcomed.

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