Disclaimer- Basically, nothing belongs to me.

So please, give me your hand.

So please, give me a lesson on how to steal,

Steal a heart.

As fast as you stole mine.

As you stole mine.

-6 Months, Hey Monday

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Edward POV

I groaned to myself as I watched her go and Natty run after her. I felt terrible. I had nearly kissed her and I was engaged. I couldn't do this anymore. I couldn't deny it. Forget falling for Bella, I was head over heels in love with her and I didn't have a clue what to do about it.

And Natalie. I already loved her like she was my own daughter. And she was, without doubt, the most incredible child I had ever met in my whole life. I wondered if Bella would let me be her honorary father.

I went back to the living room and sat at the piano stool where I started to play the same melody as I had played earlier. It was a song I had composed the night before, after walking Bella home. She had inspired it and I had just played it to her. I had even forgotten that she was there, I was so involved. Wow, I felt like a schmuck.

"Edward?" Jess called, slamming the front door. Man, that was close. If she had come in just a few minutes earlier she would have seen me almost-kissing Bella. I shuddered at the possible consequences.

"In here Jess," I called back, not ceasing playing.

"Oh," she said when she came in, "You're playing that thing again."

My playing stopped with a sigh. Unlike Bella, Jess had never seemed to appreciate my playing.

"What's this?" Jess asked passing me a slip of paper.

I looked at it, "An invitation to Natalie's party," I replied, "She's the little girl that lives…"

"In the bakers, I know. But why did she invite you to her party?"

"She didn't just invite me, she invited us. I know her Mum quite well. It's her that leant us the milk and I was in there this morning buying a cake to eat on my way to work so I overheard her dilemma that no one could pick the little girl up from school, so I offered to. She's really nice, Jess, you'd like her."

Jess snorted, "Bella could have picked her up. The bakery was as empty as an abandoned desert today. You could practically see the tumble weed." She snorted again, amused at her own joke.

"Why didn't you tell me where you were going to work?"

"You didn't ask." Jess shrugged, "It's not like it actually matters, is it?"

"I guess not," I answered.

We sat in silence for a minute and then Jess picked up on something I'd said, "You mean you're actually friends with that slut?"

"Slut?" I asked through my teeth.

"Oh come on Edward! She's a single mother! Of course she's a slut!"

"That's a pretty harsh generalization, Jessica," I said sharply.

"Yeah, but it's true in most situations and obvious in this one. You should have seen her simpering away at the one customer we had today. I'd be surprised if she didn't scare him away with her advances." She shuddered and I fought the urge to go over, take hold of her shoulders and shake her to force some sense into her.

"Bella's a lovely girl," I said simply.

Jess laughed, "Yeah, I bet she's only nice to you to steal you away from me."

"Whatever Jess," I said, though my pulse raced at the thought of Bella wanting me in that way even just a tiny bit. But then I remembered her blushes, her little smiles, her kind words… did she like me? Even if she did, it was irrelevant; I was engaged and she was… not my fiancée. And that was the best way I could put it without mentioning how hopelessly in love with her I was.

Bella POV

I was so confused. The last week had been strange. Ever since we had been to Edward's for the first time, Natty had bugged me to go back, but I had refused for more than one reason. Firstly, I didn't want to impose on Edward and Jessica.

Second because Jessica hated me and this wasn't a mere presumption anymore. She was continuously rude to Rose and I and even the customers, she never lifted a finger to help unless it was absolutely necessary and she lazed around for the vast majority of the day. It was driving me insane, but I had no option other than to put up with it. I would've fired her, but there were no other applicants and I couldn't depend on Rose permanently now that she was pregnant. So I tried my hardest to ignore her spiteful insults and rude comments.

The third reason why I wouldn't go back to Edward's was because I was scared of slipping up. Whether the slip-up involved mentioning something about how I felt about him, how Natty was his daughter or how I had carelessly abandoned his sister, I didn't want it to happen. And then there was the added reason that I wasn't sure of my self-control and one day he just might say something that would make me kiss him. Yeah, because that wouldn't be embarrassing. And, as much as I hated Jess, I didn't want to ruin his engagement; as long as he was happy, I was happy… sort of.

Edward had come in every morning after that for his usual cake and I had taken his advice and started a trial coffee stall from opening at seven thirty till nine, when Jess came. I had to admit that it had been a huge success and, after Christmas, I would be making the coffee stall permanent and maybe do it all day.

As the days passed, his arrival got earlier by a minute or so and our little chat would get longer. Natty was often present and gave her own input when she felt like it. Sometimes, she would tell Edward embarrassing things about me and he seemed to remember them and comment about it a few days later. As this continued, Natty begged for Edward to pick her up everyday after school and, more often than not, he agreed to. She nearly always came back after an ice-cream and a quick session on his piano, although I never went. Natty adored Edward, which was sweet and she talked about him non-stop when he wasn't there. I listened intently; any tiny bit of information about Edward interested me and Natty wasn't the only one to notice it.

It was Tuesday, the day before Natty's birthday, and I was tucking Natty into bed.

"Mummy?" she asked conversationally.

"What is it sweetie?"

"Did you get me a lot of presents?"

"I sure did," I said.

She giggled, but then became serious, "You can take them back if you want. I know what I want for my birthday."

"Oh, so now you tell me," I sighed, pretending to be annoyed, "What do you want?"

"I want Edward to be my Daddy," she told me. I froze. Why did she have to hit a nerve? I had been deliberately not thinking about telling Edward that Natty was his daughter because I was terrified that he would hate me, and Natty too. Now that we all had such a stable, if cautious in my case, relationship, I didn't want to ruin it for my daughter. I told myself that it was better for them that way; at least they had each other.

"Natty," I cautioned quietly, "That's not going to happen."

"Why not?" she pouted, reminding me painfully of Edward, "You like him and I like him and he likes us. He likes you, Mummy, I know he does. He always asks me things about you. Why don't you just tell him that you like him too and then you can marry each other and we can be a family?"

"Natty, never, ever say that to Edward. It's rude. Edward is marrying Jessica, you know that," I scolded, though she didn't know how good the image she had painted in my head looked to me. If only life really were that simple.

"But I don't like Jessica. She's horrible to me," Natalie said, her green eyes narrowing.

"Well, Edward loves her," I said, wincing, "So he's going to marry her. And we're just friends, Natty, me and Edward. You don't marry your friends."

"But you don't want to be his friend. You want to marry him, Mummy, I know you do. You talk about him when you're sleeping."

"I do?" my brow furrowed; how much of this had she told Edward?

"Yes, all the time."

"Natty, look," I sighed and shifted on the bed, "Life isn't as simple as you think. Just because someone loves someone else, it doesn't mean that they love them back. Things don't work like that. I can't just marry Edward because I want to. It would have to be the right thing for him as well. And even for you."

"It is the right thing for me. I don't want any other Daddy. Edward buys me ice cream."

"So you'd love anyone that buys you ice cream huh?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Natty didn't buy it, "No." She scowled.

"Natty, forget about this, okay? Edward is not going to be your Daddy. He can be your sort-of Daddy and he can pick you up from school and he can buy you ice cream, but one day he is going to marry Jessica and they will have their own children." My heart broke in two at the mental image, "And promise me you won't tell Edward any of this, especially not that Mummy wants to marry him." I cringed at the way I said it, but I couldn't think of another way to put it.

"I won't, I promise," Natty assured me. She was quiet for a bit and then she mumbled, "I don't want Edward to have any other children. Then he won't love me best any more. I won't be his special girl." And then she started to cry.

"Nats, look at me." I took hold of her chin and made her look into my eyes, "Edward will always love you. You'll always be his special girl." I knew that I couldn't promise this, but I could guarantee it for now.

"Will I always be your special girl Mummy?" she wondered, wiping her eyes.

"Always," I swore, "Always, always, always. Now, it's bed time. Go to sleep. I love you baby." I kissed her cheek.

"Love you too, Mummy," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"Goodnight," I whispered standing up and leaving the room. I went into the living room, where Rose was waiting for me. She was going to help me wrap some of Natty's presents and start organising the party that was on Saturday.

"You were gone a while," she commented.

"Yeah. She decided to leave her in-depth conversation for bed time." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yeah? What was it about?"

"Edward," I muttered.

"Again?" Rose asked. I nodded.

"Bella…" Rose hesitated and then came to my side, "I know you and I can see that you have completely fallen for him, haven't you?"

"What? No," I lied.

"Don't lie to me!" she slapped my arm, "You so have. You know you only have to ask if you want a favour. Shoulder to cry on, comfort food, someone's bitchy fiancée to assassinate…" she trailed off and grinned at me, "Whatever you need, I'll do it."

"Thanks Rose but I don't need anything. He's engaged to a bitch, but he loves her so I just have to put up with it. I only want him to be happy," I sighed.

"Wow. You must really like this guy," Rose observed, "Why does this never happen with any of the guys I set you up with?"

I rolled my eyes, "Because all the guys you set me up with are perverted weirdos that are only after one thing." I grabbed the first box to wrap up. Inside was a beautiful red velvet dress for Natty to wear at the party; I just knew that she would look adorable in it.

"Not all of them!" Rose denied, also grabbing a toy to wrap up. This one was a drawing kit from Natty's favourite art shop, "That Jacob wasn't that bad. You're just too wrapped up in Edward to notice anyone else!"

"Rose, can we drop this?" I sighed, taping up the paper.

"For now," she said reluctantly.

And with that we wrapped in a companionable silence until Rose brought up the baby and we talked about babies for the rest of the evening.

Natty woke me early the next morning, by coming in and bouncing on my bed. She unwrapped the vast majority of her presents in my bed and then we went downstairs and opened up shop.

"Where's my cake?" Natty wondered.

"It'll be ready for Saturday at your party," I told her.

"Oh, okay."

"Does this mean that I'll get to see the cake that Natty won't stop going on about?" someone else asked. I looked up to see Edward stood at the desk grinning at me.

"Indeed," I answered, "What're you doing here this early? You don't usually come for another half an hour."

"I have to be at work early this morning and I didn't want to miss the birthday girl," he said, turning to Natty and hugging her, "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks. Look, I've got a badge." She pointed proudly at the birthday badge on her chest.

"That's nice. What presents have you got so far?"

"I got a pretty dress for the party, a pushchair for my dolly, special pens and a lot of other things," she said, listing them off on her fingers.

"Wow. What a lucky girl," Edward said, "I have a little something for you too. I've got you another present as well, but that has to be delivered so you can have that on Saturday." He handed her a flat parcel and she began to rip the paper off. I went around the desk to watch.

"Thank you!" Natty squealed when she saw what it was. I looked over her shoulder to see that she had got a book of songs to play on the piano.

"Now you'll have something to play at my house," he told her.

"Can I come round after school today? And Mummy too?" she asked.

"Of course. Unless Mummy has something planned?" he looked at me.

"No, no it's fine. But…" I knelt down next to them, "I'll come pick you up today as well and we can all go for ice cream." I had a feeling I would regret going with Edward but it would've been rude to tell him not to bother going and I had a feeling that Natty wouldn't like it. Maybe all going for ice cream together would be close to what Natty had said that she wanted last night.

"Yeah! Like a proper family!" Natty shrieked.

I raised an eyebrow at her, reprimanding her, but Edward just laughed, "Sure," he said.

We both straightened up at the same time.

"I'll have my cake and coffee and go now, if that's okay," he said.

"Sure," I nodded and went back round to get his cake and coffee, "Thanks for the present, by the way. She'll have great fun with that," I said as the coffee poured. We both watched Natty who was sat on the floor flicking through the book and humming to herself.

"No problem. Natalie's very much like my own daughter, to be quite honest," he replied, "I'd have felt bad not to get her anything. Besides, she's got another present on Saturday. It can be her joint Christmas present."

"Edward… I really hope it's not too much."

"Nothing's too much," he said, "I've got money and Natty's special."

"I have a really bad feeling that this is going to be something expensive," I remarked, pressing the cap on the polystyrene cup.

"Maybe, maybe not," he shrugged, "Thanks." He tried to hand over the money, but I refused to take it.

"No, Edward it's fine." I shook my head.

"No, I want to pay for my refreshments," he said, trying to force them into my hand.

"Edward, if this present for Natty isn't expensive I'll demand the money on Monday, deal?"

"Nuh-uh. No deal. If I want to spend a lot of money on Natalie I will. That doesn't mean that I shouldn't pay for this."

"Whatever, Edward. I'm not taking it. Not today. It's Natty's birthday."

He moaned softly, "Fine, but I'm getting the ice creams later."

I crossed my fingers behind my back and said "Fine."

"Fine," he shot back with a grin and then turned to leave, "See you later."

"Bye," I called after him and then sat back down on my stool with a sigh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hope you liked that chapter! More fluff, but really cute fluff? Maybe?

I am very sorry, but I have some bad news: I only have enough chapters already written for one more daily update! This is not my fault- I have had to be in school whereas at the weekend I had quite a lot of time on my hands to just write. I know it's nearly the weekend again but… well, that's the other bad news. Starting Monday I have two weeks of exams. Most of these are just mock GCSEs, but a few are the real things. So I'm really not sure how much updating I'll be able to get done then because, knowing my Mum, she'll probably hide my laptop somewhere so I don't 'forget' to revise :S.

So I can post chapter 11 tomorrow (Friday) and probably chapter 12 on Sunday, but after that I have no idea when the updates are going to be because of my lovely examinations! However, as soon as the two weeks of exams are over, I have a whole week off school (half term) so I'll be able to make up for it then. And, if you actually care about my personal diary, after half term is two weeks work experience so I'm not sure about updates then either, but I won't have to do homework or revision so hopefully that won't make any difference… but I'm not making any promises.

So… yeah. Sorry about that.

Thank you thank you thank you for the reviews. Seriously, 223 for 9 chapters? It feels like I'm dreaming. Can we push it to higher than 250 for ten chappies? Please?

Also, if you're new to this story or something (ie- you've just read all nine chapters in one go) then please review. I know you may be like 'oh this is really long and has loads of reviews. They won't care if I don't review' because I really do!

And, because I'd feel really stupid writing all this if no one reads it, can you please tell me if you actually care about reading these ridiculously long ANs? Because I don't know if anyone actually reads these so if you do and if you like reading them or they make you laugh in the very smallest way, please say so.

REVIEW! Please.

Thanks.

Steph