We were seated once again on her beanbag chair reading. I could not describe the feeling that consumed me in that moment. I was more happy and content in that one moment than I had been in my entire life.

When Bella started yawing I saw that it was almost ten. "We should probably go to bed unless we want to spend another night sleeping on this chair."

"Probably," she agreed, but neither one of us moved to get up.

"Oh," Rosalie was standing in the doorway. I didn't think I heard a knock, but my attention was directed elsewhere. "Don't you two make a cute couple?"

Bella laughed as Rose put her hands on her hips. "What do you need Rose?"

"I wanted your opinion on something, Bella, and I was going to ask you about this fight you two were having, but it seems that you guys have made up."

"We weren't fighting, Rose."

"Fighting, giving each other the silent treatment, it's all one in the same. Regardless, would you mind if I borrowed your opinion?"

Bella shook her head and got up. "See you tomorrow."

I smiled, "See you."

********************************

My phone went off around five, but I ignored it. It's Saturday for crying out loud! I heard the shower start up, so I figured that Jasper didn't understand that the weekends were for sleeping in. Besides we didn't have to be at Renee's until eleven, so I didn't have to get up until ten at the earliest.

The phone went off again ten-fifteen minutes later. Again, I ignored it, pulling the covers over my head. Even through the quilt I heard the door open. Figuring Bella was just seeing what was ringing this early in the morning, I ignore that also and tried to go back to sleep.

The door closed and my phone went off right in my ear at full blast. Throwing the covers off I saw that it was Bella calling. "This is an evil game," I said hoarsely.

"Good morning sunshine." I moaned. How could she be so chipper so early? "Time to get up."

"No, time to sleep. It's not even six, and it's Saturday."

"So… come on. Up, up."

"No, go downstairs with Carlisle, and let me sleep."

She laughed. "You better get up."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't I will call you every five minutes and if you silence your phone I will come in and jump on top of you." I moaned and hung up.

I slammed the bathroom door. How could someone so sweet be so evil? The water was freezing when I stepped in; I had been too tired to see that Bella switched the water from hot to cold, though I doubted that she took a cold shower.

Carlisle was gone when I stumbled into the kitchen. "Carlisle had to get to the hospital. Something about a broken rib or pregnancy, he said it way too fast for me to catch it."

I gave her a half smile; it was as if she read my thoughts. "Do you realize you woke me up at 5:30 on a Saturday?"

"Yes, I do. Come sit down and I'll get you some coffee." I did as she requested without thinking. Although it wasn't one of my favorite drinks, the coffee did help to wake me up. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you." I kissed her on the cheek making her smile.

"Whoa, Edward! Not over breakfast!" Bella blushed and I wanted to punch Emmett in the face. "Since when are you two all love-dovey?" Bella shrugged and headed towards her room. "And since when do you drink coffee?"

"Since Bella decided that she would wake me up at 5:30." I finished my cup and followed Bella upstairs. She wasn't in her room, but I didn't get disappointed. She might have been in my room again.

My guess was right. She was lying on my bed with an arm over her eyes. I sat on the edge in front of her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Too much attention?" She nodded and sighed.

"Are you going to stay at Renee's?"

"I don't know would she mind?" Bella shook her head. "Do you want me to?" She was silent. "Bella?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, I'll stay."

**************************

We took her car and with much pleading she let me drive. "You know I might have to steal this." She laughed. I couldn't believe how beautiful her voice was as she talked. It was sweet, and timid unlike most of the girls at school.

"Turn off here." I followed her instructions noticing that her neighborhood was unlike my own. I hadn't paid attention to the Phoenix countryside before. It was nothing more than brush, rocks,and suburbs, not somewhere one would think when you here the word countryside."It's the third house on the left." Her house was a small cabin like house. It looked like a small Lincoln log house that little children build.

"Bella!" Renee ran and caught her in a fierce hug. "That's some fancy car you got there."

"Birthday present, don't ask." Renee laughed.

"Speaking of presents." Bella groaned while Renee literally bounced up and down. "Isn't it great? Now you can take pictures of your new home, and I won't miss a thing!" Bella rolled her eyes and reached for her bag.

"I got it, Bella." She glance at my face, so I smiled and followed Renee inside the house.

"Oh, well you guys can put your stuff in your old room Bella, but you will have to share it for tonight."

"What happened to the guest room?"

"Well…" Right then a man stepped out from what I guessed was the spare bedroom into the hallway. Bella instantly froze.

"Hello Bella."

"Hi," she gulped, "Dad. What are you doing here?"

"Can't a man come see his daughter and wish her happy birthday?"

"You never use to."

"Trying to break old habits." He gave her a wicked smile that made her flinch. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Charlie!" Renee exclaimed. "I told you that if you don't behave I will kick you out and nail you to road! Now move so we can get to her room!" He did as he was told, but Bella still coward into my shoulder when we passed.

"I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't know he was coming in, he just showed up."

"It's okay Renee, but I think I'm going to go for a walk until supper." Renee nodded and Bella lead the way out the back door.

**********************

Supper that evening was a simple meatloaf meal with Renee, Charlie, Renee's boyfriend, Phil, and Jasper. I was between Bella, and Phil, with Renee across from me. Bella was between Jasper and I with Charlie across from her. I knew that being across from him was making her uncomfortable, but there as Jasper said there was no way Bella was sitting next to him nor next to Phil.

Charlie burnt himself on the too hot food and started cussing up a storm. Renee calmly punched him in the jaw while eating her supper. "Keep your mouth clean, Charlie Swan. I will not hesitate on washing your mouth out with soap like I do my kindergartners."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"My house, my rules. If you don't like them get you butt back up in Forks."

They continued to bicker back and forth for a while before Phil leaned over to stage a whisper in my ear, "Don't worry, this always happens when he's in town." I smiled politely and continued eating.

"Are you okay?" Bella was just nibbling her food, not really touching it. All I got as an answer was a quiet head nod.

"So, you're still an ungrateful little whelp? Your mother makes you a meal and you just pick at it." Charlie received another hard punch from Renee.

"Charlie, I will not say it again. Get your act straight or I will shoot you." It was hard to believe this was the same woman who was so chipper when we arrived giving death threats at the dinner table.

His swearing was cut off into a mumble as he took a bite off his plate. Phil tried to change the subject without much success. "So, will you be staying the night with us as well Edward?" I nodded without looking up.

"You're going to let him sleep with that wench! She's going to end up just like you, pregnant at eighteen." I growled, but Jasper cut me off from doing anything to undignified.

"Not everybody tries to take away a young girl's innocence like you Charlie. And even if they did have sex tonight it would be of Bella's desire to do so, not rape. Now enough! They're not even staying here. They're leaving after supper."

"We are?" Bella and I chorused together.

"Yes, you are. I'm not having Bella sleep in the same house as him," he pointed to Charlie as he snarled his name. "You're uncomfortable Bella. Mom understands."

"He's right Bella. You two can stay over some other time, okay?" Bella gave her mother a grateful smile and went back to eating silently.

***********************

"What was Jasper talking about at dinner?" We were on our way home. Bella's car had no center console, so I had pulled her tight against my side to comfort her. She had cried a little in the beginning, but she had calmed out before five minutes had passed.

"When I was twelve Charlie had tried to… take things too far. Luckily I had gotten out of there before he got a hold of me. I ran to our neighbor Billy Black, and he told Charlie off. Renee came and got me as soon as she could, but I had to go back after one summer because Charlie threatened to take it to court." She yawned, "Jasper came with me from then on and the visits were cut in half."

My hand was clamped tight on the steering wheel. Rage washed through me red and true. The words ran through my head like a never-ending chant. He was going to hurt her. He was going to rape her! And they did nothing!

Well that wasn't really true. They did send Jasper. That thought calmed me slightly but not by much. I was too busy trying to keep myself under control that I didn't notice that Bella had fallen asleep during our ride home.

"Hey bro. I thought you guys were staying over?" Emmett greeted me as he shut the car door for me.

"Change of plans. Renee's house was crowded with family so we're going over next weekend. Emmett got the door for me, since my hands were full.

"Edward, what happened?" Carlisle was already out of his seat with worried concern.

"She's fine, Carlisle. Bella just fell asleep in the car, that's all." Relief washed through him. It was strange that he and Bella had grown so attached to each other, but then I remembered her story and I finally got it. No wonder she was so attached to him; she had never had a real father.

"Let's get her to bed then." I followed him upstairs. He stopped between Bella's room and mine. "Which room, son?"

I warred with myself. I wanted her to be with me, but with what happened with Charlie, how could I? She wasn't awake to ask her permission. I couldn't take her choice away from her, even if I wanted to. But what if she awoke in the middle of the night, and she needed someone to comfort her?

"Edward?" I sighed and nodded towards my room. I wouldn't touch her. I would sleep on the floor, or on the other polar side of the bed, but I needed to know that she would be okay. I needed to keep her safe.