How impressed are you with my updating time?! I must say - I'm pretty proud of myself! Well...here goes chapter nine! As always, everything belongs to the incredible Stephenie Meyer (except Charlotte...she's all mine!). And much thanks to those beta's who make my work actually readable :)

Edward sat down in the chair that had once belonged to Carlisle, and Carlisle swiftly and gracefully left the room.

"Where'd you go this time?" I asked him jokingly, and he smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes.

"I'm sorry I always run off – it seems to be my way of handling things, huh?" He answered, his half-assed smile coming to his face again.

You have no idea.

If my thought had confused Edward, he didn't let it show. "What did you and Carlisle talk about? If you don't mind my asking that is…" he trailed off, and I knew he probably didn't want to hear the answer as much as I didn't want to tell it.

"Of course not," I answered. "We talked about….I don't know…I mean lots of stuff…I told him what I knew…he asked questions…I answered them…just….well, you know…" My answer came out in babble, partly because I was overwhelmed with the discussion Carlisle and I had, but mostly because I didn't want Edward to know what we had discussed.

Edward chuckled at my response, but then grew quiet and more serious.

"Charlotte, I'm worried," he said, and from his expression alone I could tell that he meant it.

"There's nothing to worry about," I told him in an attempt to reassure him, but we both knew the statement was a lie.

"There's everything to worry about," he responded. "I'm a vampire, Charlotte". I watched Edward force the word vampire out of his mouth, his disgust with himself and what he was completely evident. "Every moment you spend with me is putting your life at risk. Worse than that, you know I'm a vampire. Do you even realize how much trouble that could get you in? If the Volturi ever found out…" he trailed off again, his voice shaking.

I had no idea what the Volturi was, but from the reaction Edward had to the name, I knew it couldn't be good.

"It's not like I'd ever tell anyone, Edward. I come home this summer and my mom asks, 'how was the beach, Char?' and I respond 'Oh, it was so much fun. I dated a vampire, but don't worry mom, he only drinks the blood of animals'. Because that just sounds so believable," I said with a heavy dose of sarcasm in my voice.

Besides Edward, if spending time with you means putting my life at risk, it's a risk I'm willing to take.

"How can you say that?" he asked me. I knew the words would cause this reaction, and I hated that he could pick them out of my head before I had the chance to take them back. As I continued thinking about it though I realized I wouldn't take it back.

"Edward, the past two days with you have been better than the past month and a half I've spent at this beach house combined. You've been the best thing that's happened to me since…since, ever. You're worth it," I told him sincerely.

"Do you understand what you're saying? Do you even realize how dangerous this is? I could kill you, Charlotte," he told me.

I knew he was right, but I wasn't afraid.

If you can resist Bella's blood then you sure as hell can resist mine.

I knew I shouldn't be so angry, but I couldn't help it. I was used to his self-loathing "I'm so dangerous" act in Twilight, but experiencing it for myself was beyond frustrating. I was finally beginning to understand everything Bella dealt with.

If you were so afraid you were going to kill me, then why'd you even bother asking me out in the first place?

The words were in my head before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted thinking them.

"Don't answer that," I spat out angrily before he could say anything.

"When you first met me and you knew exactly who I was, I was amazed, terrified, and confused all at once. I wanted to know how you knew those things. I asked you to dinner that night out of selfish purposes, and I truly apologize, but Charlotte, you're beautiful, kind, intelligent, and forgiving. Those are the reasons that I want to spend time with you still. I'm sorry, I truly am. I don't mean to frustrate you, and I realize the situation my selfish tendencies have put you in is extremely unfair. I just don't want to hurt you. You understand that, don't you?" His response was much too kind for the attitude I was putting on, and I felt bad instantly.

"I do, and I'm sorry too. It's just…those things you just said about me…I feel all of them - a thousand times over. I've only known you for two days; don't you think that says something? I'm not afraid of you, Edward. You won't kill me, I know it. I promise you, I'm not afraid. Can't we just try this Edward?"

"Charlotte…" he whined, and I could easily see the pain inflicted in his beautiful golden eyes.

"Fine," I replied, feeling slightly guilty, knowing the pain in his eyes was because of me. I wasn't willing to give in just yet though. "Can't we at least just be friends?" I had no idea if I could be just friends when the smartest, kindest, most beautiful being was sitting next to me, but at this point, just friends was better than nothing.

"I don't know if I can either…" I heard him whisper so quietly he thought I didn't hear.

"We can try?" I begged him hopefully.

"We can try," he agreed. "Come on," he said as he stood up from the chair and walked over to me. "I'll walk you home. I think we've both had enough for tonight."

I stood up and followed him towards the front door. I peeked in the kitchen to say goodbye to Carlisle, and it hurt me to think that this would probably be the last time I'd ever see him.

"It truly was a pleasure to meet you," Carlisle said as he shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder.

Edward and I made the short trip home quietly. I knew he was listening to my thoughts, so I stuck in a I'm fine, I promise as often as I could and tried not to think too much about everything that had just happened and about what was to come. When we reached the beach house, Edward stopped at the edge of the driveway, politely said "Goodnight, Charlotte," and then turned around to leave.

"I don't even get a hug goodbye?" I asked, slightly hurt by the curt goodbye. Edward looked at me skeptically, and before he had time to decide I smiled and said, "It's what friends do."

Edward walked towards me, and I met him halfway. I looked up at him and smiled and then before he knew what was coming I threw my arms around him and pulled my body as close to his as I could physically get. I thought he would pull back immediately and scold me for doing something not so friendly, but once again, he surprised me as he wrapped his arms even tighter around my waist and held me close. After what seemed like purely milliseconds, he sighed and let me go.

"Goodnight, Charlotte," he said again. Only this time, he smiled at the end, the famous crooked smile, and I felt myself get weak at the knees.

"Goodnight, Edward," I whispered, and I darted up the stairs while I could still walk.

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