Summary: Edward Masen is a single father, ex-con, and an ex drug user. He and his child move to Forks for a fresh start. Bella Swan is a straight edge young woman. When these two people meet, the attraction is inexplicable. AH/M.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer and Summit own the right. I just play around with the characters.

A/N: I haven't done a good job at replying to reviews. I'm sorry about that. What with the holidays and finals...things have kept me preoccupied. Forgive me please. I do appreciate your feedback and positive comments. This is a little transitional, but necessary because it sets up some very big things for Edward and Vanessa.

Big thank you to my beta acrosstheskyinstars for cleaning this up. Baby girl is back, and we're so glad! Another Big thank you to ShowtunesJesus and Woodlily for helping me out, and cleaning up my pronoun useage or lacktherof. ;)


Soulmate

EPOV

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe."

-Gail Devers

When I started thinking about my date with Bella, I almost laughed at myself, because I had never been so damn nervous. Being with Bella made me lose my mind; I had no idea what she might have wanted to do. All I really knew was that I needed more time with her, and I wanted an opportunity where we could talk, uninterrupted. Knowing that Bella wasn't into the elaborate wine and dine thing, I settled on a simple but nice restaurant in Port Angeles. It was casual enough to put her at ease, allowing us to talk about anything and everything.

I liked to think our date was a success. I enjoyed myself, and I thought Bella did, too. We talked about our childhoods and high school years. We were very different on the surface, but that didn't stop us from wanting to know more about each other. Our conversation never stalled. It was as if we had known each other for years. That was what I really liked about us. From the moment we had met, we had this sense of comfort and familiarity. Bella and I got along almost effortlessly.

One thing I had not counted on was our kiss, or kisses. I was more than willing to kiss the living daylights out of her, but when she had told me that she had never really dated, I knew I had to be extra careful with her. I didn't want to go too fast or hurt her. She was exquisite, and she needed to know that I respected and cared for her. Bella surprised me, though.

She had kissed me, and it shocked the hell out of me. That was not to say I didn't like it, but once I realized I had stolen her first kiss, I wanted to have a do-over. I wanted to show her that first kisses could be spectacular.

The best part about that night was when Bella asked me to give Vanessa a hug from her. She was sweet, and I couldn't believe how lucky I was to know her.

When I got home, I found Alice reading a magazine with the baby monitor next to her. She tried to drill me about the date, but I wouldn't budge. I figured she could talk to Bella about that stuff. All I wanted to do was thank her for baby-sitting, and then check on my baby girl.

Overall, I had a good feeling about everything. My girls were great, but I still needed to take care of some things. I had been in Forks for a month, and even though I'd made friends, I still lacked purpose. I knew that I either needed to go back to school, or get a job. When I moved, I had already decided I'd do one or the other, which got me thinking about applying at Emmett's bar. When I decided to go there after dinner, it was really for Bella's benefit and not mine, but when he mentioned he was looking for an additional bartender to cover weeknights, I began thinking about working again. Weeknights wouldn't be bad because I'd be able to spend the day with Vanessa. Before even thinking about her arrangements though, I had to visit Emmett.

Vanessa woke up early, and after she had eaten, I took her upstairs to change her clothes and diaper. I needed to go to Port Angeles, and it looked like she was coming with me. Bella and Alice were working, so I couldn't ask them to look after her. But, I had no one else to turn to. I didn't know what to do.

I sighed. My uncertainty was making me frustrated. Shit. It was too early in the day to feel frustrated. I needed help.

"Come on, angel girl. We're going to see Bella."

When Vanessa bounced inside the bakery, she waved her hands at Bella, trying to get her attention.

"There's my pretty girl!" she said cheerfully. Bella went around the counter and stood in front of Vanessa.

"Bella!" Vanessa jumped into her arms and gave her a hug.

"Hi, Edward," Bella said as she stood up, holding her.

I greeted Bella and gave her a hug.

"What brings you guys in so early?" she asked. Vanessa held a strand of Bella's hair between her little fingers and began twisting it around.

I gave her a small smile and told her I wanted to go to Port Angeles to talk to Emmett. I explained to her that he was looking for someone to work weeknights, and that maybe I could do that.

She looked skeptical. "Can you bartend?"

"Yeah, I can. It's not that difficult…I did it when I was in school."

"You're twenty-five, Edward. How would you know how to bartend when you were younger?"

"I started drinking early," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Rebel, remember, Bella?"

Her lips quirked into a smile, and she shook her head at me. "Misguided, maybe, but not a rebel. You're too sweet to be a rebel."

"I'm not, anymore. I did a lot of things early. I was thinking of getting a job anyway. I wasn't sure what I was going to do since I haven't completed my degree, but this seems to fit well with my and Vanessa's schedule."

"What about my schedule? Will I ever get to see you?" she asked.

I was taken aback, but I liked it when she acted jealous.

"I'm kidding," she said, laughing. "I think it'd be awesome if you worked for Emmett. He's a nice guy, and if you leave now, you can catch him for lunch. Just say goodbye to your daughter first."

"You're perfect. Thank you," I said gratefully. I hugged my girls and explained to Vanessa that she was going to have a play date with Bella and Alice. She got excited and said a cheerful 'bye' to me.

I went outside to grab the baby bag. With Ellie in my hands, I went back inside and handed it to Bella.

"I think Vanessa likes me more," Bella said teasingly as she gave the toy to Vanessa.

"She does. Thanks, Bella. I'll be back as soon as I can." I kissed my girls on the cheek, and waved.

Bella shooed me away and promised to take care of Vanessa. "Now go! We have some coloring to do."

Leaving Vanessa was never easy. I missed her whenever I was away from her. It wasn't ideal for me to keep her at home all the time. She was a growing girl who needed play time and friends just like everybody else did.

I tried to refocus my attention on getting a job. It wouldn't bode well for me if I was distracted. I really wanted to work again. I wanted to do something for me. I arrived in Port Angeles and headed straight for Eclipse. From what Emmett told me, he needed someone to bartend from Monday through Thursday nights. I wasn't sure how long the hours were, but I didn't think it would be a big problem. I would just have to plan Vanessa's schedule accordingly. It shouldn't be difficult.

I walked in the door and saw Emmett behind the bar cleaning glasses. He looked up from his work as I approached.

"Edward! What's going on?" he bellowed cheerfully. I was sure the people outside heard him.

"Hey, Emmett. Not much, really, and that's why I'm here. Could we talk privately, please?"

"Sure. Everything okay? Bella and your girl are good?" he asked worriedly, coming around the bar.

"Oh, yeah, they're great. Bella has Vanessa right now. I just needed to speak with you."

Emmett led me to his office, which was actually quite spacious. When we were seated across from each other, Emmett leaned forward on his elbows and gave me a curious look.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

"Do you remember what we talked about last night? You said you were looking for a bartender to cover the weeknights?"

"Yeah, I'm still looking. There's no one in this Godforsaken town," he said, chuckling to himself.

"Do you think I could try it out?"

"Try it out?"

"I did some bartending when I was younger. If I had a resume or paperwork, I'd give you references or whatever you needed. I want to work, Emmett. I think I'd be good at this if you gave me a shot."

"Hmmm," he said contemplatively. He was silent for a few moments and then he said, "I like you, Edward. You're an honest guy, and I'm sure it must have taken a lot of determination for you to come apply. Before I say yes, I need to know about your prior experience. Where did you work, and what kind of fucked up shit did or didn't you do while you worked?"

I almost couldn't believe what he asked of me. Emmett was a lot more perceptive than I gave him credit for.

"I saw a lot of fucked up shit," I repeated, using his word choice. "Date rape drugs, E, Heroin, Meth. I saw it all, but I only did Meth." Here was the clincher. I could only hope he wouldn't judge me too harshly. "I was arrested on drug charges. I was in prison for two years, and I was recently released."

Emmett nodded knowingly. "There's that honesty again. I appreciate that, Edward. I assume you aren't doing that anymore?"

I wasn't offended that he asked. It was to be expected, really.

"I've been clean for two years. I'm not looking to get sucked back into that shit. I've got something to lose now," I stated firmly. "Believe me, I won't fuck up."

"It's not my business to pry, but I need to make sure that the people I hire are not only sober, they are level-headed and not here to fuck things up. I treat my employees as family, but if you ever fucking do something that requires me to call the cops, you are out of here. And, Edward? Because you're with Bella now, I'm going to be on your ass. You so much as hurt her or make her cry, I will do more than fire you, got it?"

Yes, I got it. I understood completely.

"I understand. Just so you know, I already told her about that stuff. The drugs…and stuff."

Emmett smiled. "I know. I figured she'd be the first to know anything about you. Let's go out and test out your bartending knowledge."

He rose from his chair and went out the front. I followed him behind the bar.

"Okay, I need you to pass this little test. What can you make?"

"Anything. If I don't know how, I'll find out. I'll make sure I get it right," I replied with confidence I didn't know I possessed.

I made a mixture of drinks. Emmett seemed pleased with my work, and I passed his test with flying colors. He explained which beers they had on tap and which beers were imported. He also went over drink specials and happy hour. I had the job but was on a one week trial run. Truth be told, I didn't care if it was a trial run or not. It felt good to have a job again. I had done that all on my own, and it hadn't been easy. I'd told Emmett some very private things about my life, things that weren't pleasant to talk about, but it was a part of what had gotten me to Forks in the first place. Besides that, I was obligated to tell Emmett he was about to hire an ex-con.

Emmett was great. He took things better than I could have hoped for. He didn't pass judgment, nor did he chastise me about my mistakes. He understood I had chosen to do those things, and I had since suffered the appropriate consequences. I had paid my dues. I was still trying to move forward, and this was a step in the right direction.

"Good job, Edward. Come back on Wednesday, and we'll see how well you do with the actual crowd."

"Thanks, Emmett. I'm looking forward to working here."

Emmett had given me a mock up schedule and I was set to come in two days. My hours were from six to midnight since it was the weeknight. He thumped me on the back and advised me to get a cell phone. I didn't have one, but he said it would help if I had one since I was going to be working. I saw his point, so I decided to make a quick trip to the nearest cell phone provider.

I had a job. The next step was to figure out who could watch Vanessa. That wasn't going to be an easy task. I had already ruled out Bella and Alice. They had their own lives and their own responsibilities to take care of. I would need someone who could possibly stay overnight. I had no idea who to ask or how to look for whoever I needed. First things first, though. I needed a cell phone.

After getting my cell phone, I headed back home to Forks. I spent the entire drive back thinking about Vanessa. Maybe Bella and Alice knew someone who could help me.

I went straight to The Flower Pot and immediately found my baby girl with Alice. They were seated at the counter with milk and cookies, and water color paints.

"Daddy!" she cried happily when she saw me. She tried to jump from the stool, but I motioned for her to stay put.

"Vanessa! Don't even think about it," I said sternly as I approached.

She didn't move. I hardly ever raised my voice at her because I really didn't need to, so when I did, she often cried and got really quiet. I ran my hand through her hair and patted her comfortingly on her back. She wasn't speaking to me, and she kept her head down.

"Baby, you can't jump off from the stool, okay? It's dangerous. You could get hurt, and that would make me sad," I explained, trying to tell her that I wasn't mad, I just wanted her safe.

I picked her up and held her to me. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and buried her head against my shoulder. I could feel her little tears stain my t-shirt. I sighed. She was crying, and I hated that.

"Angel girl, stop crying. I'm not mad at you. I just want you to be safe, okay?"

Vanessa lifted her head from my shoulder and sniffled. "Okay."

I smiled and tickled her ribs. "That's my girl."

She laughed and gave me a baby kiss on my nose. "I painted, Daddy!"

I shifted her on my hip and looked down at her creation. She had a plain white piece of paper with a mixture of colors. It was messy and abstract, and she was so proud of it.

"See, Daddy?" she asked as she pointed to the painting.

"I see, baby. It's very good. Did you have fun with Alice and Bella?"

I looked over at Alice who had seen my soft discipline with Vanessa. She was smiling encouragingly at me; it was almost as if she was rooting for me, like she had faith I was a better dad than I gave myself credit for.

Admittedly, I didn't think I was a bad father. I just didn't have any experience with children, I doubted myself on every little thing when it came to Vanessa. I was still learning how to go on instinct and just love her like she was meant to be loved.

"Yes, I did!" she said cheerfully.

"Hey, Alice. I hope she was a good girl for you and Bella."

"She was absolutely perfect. We had a lot fun. She helped Bella bake cookies, and then we painted. It was fun, right Vanessa?"

Vanessa nodded her head enthusiastically. I smiled and set her down on the stool so she could finish her painting.

I sat on the other side of her and finally noticed that Bella was nowhere to be found. Alice must have noticed me looking because she said, "She's in back going over inventory. You can go and see her if you want."

I was past being embarrassed about my attraction to Bella. I simply thanked Alice and walked to the back room.

Bella was hunched over the desktop with papers laid out in front of her, and a pen sitting delicately between her lips. Her brow was furrowed, and didn't even look up when I entered the room. I took a moment to admire her. She was simply beautiful and so unaware of it. I liked her sweet disposition and her ability to see past my mistakes. She was more than accepting. She was perfect for me.

"Bella," I said in greeting, interrupting her work.

She looked up and gasped in surprise. "Oh, my! I didn't even hear you come in!"

I smirked. "You were busy." I sat down across from her and gave her a playful wave.

"How did everything go? Was Emmett nice? Because if he wasn't, I will talk to him," she said in a rush.

"Calm down, beautiful girl. It went well. Emmett and I went over my experience, and…well, I had to tell him about the meth and the prison time. He was cool though, and I got the job."

"That's awesome, Edward! When do you start?"

"In a couple days, which brings me to my dilemma…" I told Bella that I needed a sitter for Vanessa, someone who could watch after her during the night and possibly sleep over just to make sure someone was there if I was delayed.

Bella nodded in understanding and suggested I call a girl named Bree Tanner.

"I used to tutor her. She's a good girl, and she's engaged to Riley Biers. They're both students at the community college. With the recent engagement I think they could use some extra cash for their honeymoon. They want to go to Alaska," Bella said.

"How old is she?"

"Bree just turned twenty. She's working on her General Education studies before she transfers to Seattle for her Sociology degree."

"Do you think she'd be opposed to sleeping over five nights a week? It probably won't come down to that, but just in case...you know?"

"I think that will work fine. She doesn't live with Riley, so it might make things easier. They're good kids, and it's cute to see them together."

I agreed to meet Bree. She had Bella's vote, so I was more likely to hire her. I just hoped she clicked with Vanessa.

Bella told me that she'd give Bree a call and send her my way the next day. When that was taken care of, I thanked Bella yet again. She went above and beyond for Vanessa and me. I couldn't be more grateful.

"Thank you," I said sincerely. "I don't know what I can do to repay you…but, thank you."

Bella rose from her chair and came over to stand by me. "Don't be silly, Edward. I'm glad to help, and if you really want to repay me, you could," she said shyly.

I placed my hands on her waist and looked up at her, smiling. "Anything."

"Kiss me?" she asked, blushing.

I chuckled. She was so cute.

I got up and gave her a gentle kiss before bringing her closer, and kissing her with fervor. I let my lips convey what words and actions couldn't. When Bella opened her lips instinctively, I almost groaned with pleasure. She was letting me in. With her lips parted, I moved to capture her bottom lip, and then tentatively swiped my tongue across it. Bella didn't flinch, but she did pause for a moment. I could tell my tongue caught her by surprise, but just when I thought she was going to pull away, she didn't. Bella closed her lips, and then opened them. She was kissing me open-mouth, and fuck if that wasn't the hottest thing I'd ever felt. I swiped at her bottom lip again, and then gave her gentle kisses before she and I pulled apart.

She looked a little flushed. Her cheeks were pink, and her lips were a little swollen. She was breathtaking.

"Wow," she gasped in amazement.

"I second that sentiment," I said, trying not to smirk.

It had been so long since I'd felt like this. Actually, I'd never felt like this before. All my past relationships (and there weren't many) couldn't even compare to the way Bella made me feel. She single-handedly rocked my world.

"I've…that's a first," she murmured. She looked up at me and smiled sheepishly.

I chuckled. "Well, you are a natural at that. That was pretty fucking amazing."

Bella shook her head at me; she was trying not to scold me for my language. "You've got a very colorful vocabulary."

I laughed. "I know."

"Let's go back out. You want some cookies? Vanessa and I made sugar and butter cookies."

I followed Bella back to the front where we found Alice and Vanessa coloring. I glanced at the clock. Vanessa usually had a nap during the afternoon, but I doubted she'd had one today. My assumptions were confirmed, and I knew she'd tucker out soon, so after Bella packed up some cookies for us, I gathered Vanessa's things.

"I'll see you later?" Bella asked as I placed Vanessa on my hip.

"Yeah-tomorrow? Let's do dinner. Vanessa and I want to show you something."

Bella leaned in and gave Vanessa a hug and kiss. "Okay that sounds great. Bye, pretty girl. I had a lot fun today. Be a good girl for Daddy, okay?"

Vanessa was tired. She yawned and said, "Okay."

I kissed Bella on the cheek, thanked Alice, and then headed out with Vanessa.


A/N: I'm starting to think I should shut the hell up about my team Every time I mention it here they lose. Stupid four game losing streak. Bet that gave away which team I root for lol. Back to the fic: Edward is not going to go back to school (at least not yet). It was always my intention for him to work for/with Emmett. Trust me, he'll have a bigger role than a bartender. I've got big things for him and our favorite little munchkin. Before anyone has a cow-no, Bree will not fall for Edward. She's happy with Riley. No love triangle. That I can pretty much guarantee. Some of you observed that Bella is a virgin in this fic. Yes, that's true. That element has been done before, but honestly it works out better for this story. Edward is her first (and only) remember Eclipse? ;) Oh, just because she's inexperienced doesn't make her naive. Whose to say that Alice hasn't given her Cosmo? Lol. Next chapter is BPOV. It might get interesting.

Till next time

Tina