Chapter 9

BPOV

About two hours later I felt the sleep cycle begin to end and as per usual I woke up feeling slightly disoriented due to the fact that sleep wasn't always so natural to me. At first when I woke I was confused as to where I was … I had initially thought that I would be in my bed in the apartment above PK but upon seeing the darken fabric on the walls I remembered that I had last been in Edward's room listening to music, the second thought that I had was I was lying down on something cold and hard.

Please no … I thought to myself as realisation began to seep in as I felt an arm around my waist and I realised that if you took away the stone feeling and the cold then this was familiar position to eighty years ago. Moving slightly I raised my head and looked into the topaz eyes of Edward Cullen feeling my heart and my body freeze I knew that a blush was creeping onto my face as his gaze held mine, his face holding a small smile but his eyes holding a hint of something … fear possibly? Nerves maybe? Probably exactly the same look as I currently had on my face … this was bound to be an interesting conversation!

Bella raised her head and looked up into the eyes of the vampire who had captured her heart and felt the blush on her cheeks, "good morning" Edward said in his velvet tones, "good morning" she mumbled trying to make her voice sound steady

"Did you sleep well?" he asked not releasing her from his arms nor did she appear to want to be released, "very well thank you" she replied, "though I am sorry that I do appear to of stopped you from doing anything else tonight" she said feeling guilty

"Bella? Do you truly believe that if I didn't want to be in this position then I would still be here?" he asked his voice full of amusement as he took in her blush and found it endearing, "depends are you still able to move with me on you?" she asked with a grin that didn't feel or looked forced, "as much as I would like to prove that theory … I am more then comfortable right where I am" he said with a crooked smile that melted her insides, "suck up" she said starting to feel dazzled by his presence, "do you miss it?" she asked

"Sleeping?" he asked looking at her as she nodded her head in clarification, "occasionally" he replied as he ran his fingers lightly up and down her arms leaving a trail of goose bumps in his wake, "I remember I used to dream about becoming older and being drafted to serve my country to then come back, marry and settle down with my own family …" he said breaking off as he saw Bella tense, "is everything ok?" he asked concerned seeing the odd expression on her face, "yes" she said quickly as she heard her phone ring from across the room, rather then go and get it knowing that if she moved away from him she would have to stay away from him once again she held up her hand and her phone flew straight into it, "impressive" breathed Edward as she looked at the caller id and sighed, "Isabella Cullen" she said in a business voice causing Edward to look at her in surprise both that she used the surname and how well it suited her, "Hi Bella it's Angela how are you?"

"I am well thank you yourself?"

"Good thanks … I was just ringing with your scheduled today if you have time?"

"Actually I am on my way in now could we meet up when I get there and you can walk me through it? I should be there in about twenty minutes" Bella said reluctantly sitting up knowing that it was time to go back to her life again, while Edward silently protested at the loss of her warmth "Ok I will be waiting for you is there anything you would like on arrival?"

"I would love a large mocha … I had a few problems waking up this morning"

"That would be the sleep cycle for you" Angela said laughing as Edward looked surprised again as Bella said goodbye and ended the conversation, before turning back to Edward again.

"What?" she asked looking at him in confusion seeing the look on his face

"Isabella Cullen?" he questioned

"The surname belongs to my father" she replied having dropped the use of Masen when she had finally accepted that he was not coming back, "what name did you have before Carlisle?" Edward asked

"Swan" she replied, "but as soon as I started moving around with Carlisle I dropped that as it was easier to be have the same surname" she said not adding that she didn't want anything to remind her of her parents, "who is Angela?" he asked having heard the whole conversation and made the assumption that it was someone she worked with, "she is I guess my PA/Overseer of Operations for both divisions of PK Records" she said

"Both divisions?" he queried again finding it really irritating that he couldn't simply pull the information that he wanted from her brain, "yes to put simply we have the human division and the supernatural division" she said causing him to laugh his musical laugh, "what you think that just because we are immortal we don't deserve to have the same opportunities as the humans?" she asked looking at him

"True" he replied seeing where she was coming from

"I need to be going" she said from where she sat

"I wish you didn't" Edward thought he had said quietly enough but apparently not as she turned to look at him in surprise, "I have been here three days and you are all acting like I have been here forever" she said in forced amusement

"Well its not often we meet people that we connect with instantly" he said trying to cover up his slip up, "hmmm well I guess I am just fantastic" Bella replied sarcastically as she moved out of his embrace and immediately felt her body protest at the loss of him which was currently what Edward was feeling, as she stood up she looked out of the window and saw that the sun was starting to come up and realised that now would be a good time to leave so she changed her clothes into a wrap round black dress that fell to mid-thigh with knee high boots and sky blue cardigan leaving her hair to fall in soft waves down her back, "how do I look?" she asked seeing Edward sitting there with his mouth unconsciously open as he stood up and walked over to her, "you look beautiful" he replied when he was able to speak again reaching out and gently touching her cheek, "thank you" she blushed at the compliment, as they heard the others on their way back, "I had best see dad before I go" she said breaking her gaze with him and moving out of physical contact with him as she quickly ran out the door leaving Edward to run his fingers through his hair in annoyance at his family's timing before he quickly followed her down.

"Hi dad" Bella said as she ran down the stairs and put her arms around him welcoming him home, "hi baby girl" he replied with a grin glad that she was still here, "Did you sleep ok?" he asked her looking at her to make sure that she was ok

"Fine thank you" she replied as she saw him look at her outfit

"You got an office day today?" he asked

"Oh yes" she replied before blocking them off again * I will keep looking out for signs of movement but at the moment I have to continue on as normal *

* I know and that is ok * he replied understanding * how was it last night? *

* it was good and bad it felt … like coming home * she replied with a sad smile as he nodded his head in understand again as he saw where she was coming from as he put his arm around her in a comfort gesture while Edward looked between them both realising that he was being excluded from their talk, "oh my god Bella I love your outfit!" Alice said as she quickly raced through the door and throw her arms around her sister, "thank you Alice" Bella said laughing at the little pixie and her excitement, "I have to go to work" she said as everyone sighed in disappointment, "if you are bored enough you could always come with me?" she offered and then promptly regretted it as the only two that turned her down were Esme and Carlisle and the thought of having Emmett round the building causing chaos made her stomach sink so she made a mental note to keep him to the supernatural side as much as possible, she also wondered why after surviving so long without her new brothers and sisters she now could not leave them alone but whenever she was with them she could feel herself being lifted and even though it hurt to be around Edward he still managed to make her smile and laugh, "come on then we had better be going" she said, "we will have to go in cars as it is less conspicuous …" she said breaking off as she saw Alice jumping up and down, "we can take Rosalie's BMW and Edward's Volvo" she said causing Bella to inwardly sigh as she saw what the rest of the family were trying to do which wasn't their fault but Carlisle, Alice and Jasper really should know better, "fine" she agreed as Rosalie smiled happy that she could drive her convertible, "we are heading to LA so I will set up a walkway at the end of the drive again, Em do you remember the walkway rules?" she asked seeing him nod his head, "good I guess it makes sense for you to go with Rosalie and for me with Edward if he is happy to drive as you and I are the only ones that have driven through them before" causing the others to affirm the plan, "Bella?" she heard Esme say as they started to move out, "yes?" she replied looking at her father's wife and smiling

"My children have been hogging you completely I would like to spend some time with you when you get back if that would be possible?" she said smiling back at Carlisle's daughter, "Esme I would love that" Bella agreed as Esme pulled her into a hug whilst the others complained about how unfair it was, "you children have to learn to share" Esme said in a stern voice causing them all to lower their heads and reply, "yes mom" which made Bella laugh

"Come on let's go" she said as they all raced off to the different cars leaving Carlisle and Esme to talk, "she is settling in well" Esme said happily causing Carlisle to sigh

"Yes … but I am not sure how long she will stay for" he said

"I think if Edward has his way she will stay forever" Esme said with a soft smile noticing the troubled look on Carlisle's face, "what is wrong dearest?" she asked in concern, "I just hope it works" he said leaving her to think that it was because he was worried she wouldn't stay rather then because she couldn't especially when Edward found out the truth he knew that his son might not be strong enough to overcome the fact that he had been lied to, "thank you my dear for being accepting of Bella though … I know it wasn't easy and I should of told you about her before"

"I know that you had your reasons and that is enough for me" she said before going into his arms, "now you are not due back to the hospital for a while and we have an empty house …" she said letting her voice trail off as Carlisle laughed before running upstairs to their room with her in his arms.