Once again, your comments and kind words really help me with this, so THANK YOU. As always, Stephanie owns anything recognizable.

*I know I'm updating a LOT right now, because once I start work in September I won't have the chance to write as often.

**We have been experiencing some internet problems of late, so if there's not an update or a review reply I've NOT forgotten about you guys!

EdwardPOV

Leukaemia. It was an awful sounding word. I'd always thought so. It sounded so elusive, so insubstantial. I suppose it was. Unlike other cancers there wasn't a tumor that could just be cut out. It was a cancer of the blood. The very thing that gave us all life now threatened my sister's. I'd always seen cancer as an older person's illness. Of course I knew that it struck the young too, but I never imagined it would contaminate our family. You couldn't even see it in Alice to look at her. Yes, her eyes lacked their sassy sparkle and her body was clearly drained. I was certain she was terrified too, but to an outsider she looked the picture of health, just as any 1year old should be. Like I said, elusive.

Mom and Dad were clearly nervous for what the results of Alice's tests would be, as we all were. About half way through the movie they got up, followed by Monroe and Whitney. No one followed. It was clear they wanted to talk. As the movie continued, I could not help but look over at Bella. She was perched on the couch with Alice, only feet away from my place on the beanbag. She was breathtaking. Her long, chocolate brown hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and every now and then she would absentmindedly run her fingers through it. Those eyes…large, inviting chocolate orbs, darted from the screen, to Alice, and back again. That was another thing I loved about Bella. She was so warm and friendly with everyone, and her concern for Alice's wellbeing made me smile. My eyes were still focused on Bella when the movie came to an end. Alice's gaze found mine and she rolled her eyes, raising one eyebrow to me. I knew what she was implying. I always did. Alice and I had an extremely strong bond. We always had. Her eyes were beseeching me to drive Bella home, and finally tell her how I felt. I sighed, pinching my nose as I always did when I found myself lost in thought. Why bother telling Bella how I felt? She was nervous around me, or avoided me completely. Hardly a recipe for a relationship. I quickly found my resolve whittled away with Alice's continued glare. At last I nodded, rolling my eyes.
"Bella?"

Her head snapped up the moment I spoke her name. A faint blush colored her cheeks. Beautiful.
"Yes?"
"Would you like me to drive you home? It's getting late."

I watched as her brows furrowed delicately.
"Oh uh…it's ok, I can walk."

Before I could nod, clearly giving her the space she wanted, Alice piped up.
"Like hell, Bella! Have you seen the rain out there? If you walk home you'll get sick and I can't be around sick people when my treatment has started. Edward, drive her home."

I chuckled, nodding as Bella conceded. I had a feeling Alice was less concerned about Bella catching a cold than she was about getting us into the car together again. Subtlety was not my sister's forte. The short drive to Bella's was relatively quiet. Bella chewed nervously on her lip, as though she wanted to talk. I didn't know what to say to her. As I pulled into her driveway beside her dad's police cruiser, she finally spoke.
"Tell Alice to call me. Anytime I mean. I want her to know that I'm here for her."

There she was. Sweet Bella. I nodded, turning off the engine.
"I will, thank you. You're an incredible friend Bella, really."

Her face quickly flushed again.
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" She asked, suddenly nervous.
"Blush. Anytime I pay you any compliment. Don't you like them?"

Cue more nervous blushing. Gosh, she was so adorable.
"I'm sorry…I don't know…" I frowned. I hadn't meant to make her feel uneasy. I reached gently for her hand.
"Hey…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

I could have sworn I heard her gasp as our hands touched. She quickly composed herself.
"It's ok, I just don't get it." Her nose scrunched in the cutest way. She was mesmerizing.
"What don't you get?"
"Why you're different with me." Her voice was suddenly so soft I had to strain to hear her.
"Different? Have I…upset you?" I frowned. She shook her head, her beautiful face hidden behind the curtain of hair.
"No. Never. I just…wondered."

I smiled softly, grazing my thumb gently across her hand.
"I don't mean to be different. It's just I see you differently than I do my other friends. I suppose it's because I care so much about you." I spoke softly, surprised that it was this easy to be honest with her. Maybe Alice had been right.

Bella was now looking at me, an expression of disbelief apparent across her beautiful features. "You do?"

I smiled, nodding.
"How can I not? You're loyal, determined, adorably klutzy [yes, major blush action again] and utterly beautiful. You make me want to be with you forever and not ever let anything happen to you." What the hell had Alice spiked my soda with? Where was this honesty coming from all of a sudden?

"Wow…" Bella admitted softly, leaning closer to me.
"I always thought you just saw me as Alice's friend. Alice's friend who had the most ridiculous, annoying and obvious crush on you."
"Crush on me? You? But you're so shy around me and sometimes you avoid me completely! I thought I was just Alice's annoying older brother…"
"Who else am I that shy around? Emmett? Jasper?"

As I thought about it she had a point. Bella had always acted differently towards me than to my best friend and my brother.
"So…let's get this straight. You like me…" She nodded, chewing softly on her lip. "And I like you."
"So…where do we go from here?"

I chuckled, breaking out of my Bella-trance.
"Well…nowhere at the moment. We're in your driveway. But dinner. Soon. Or to the movies, anything." I laced my fingers through hers. "Anything you want."

Bella nodded, squeezing my hand before letting go. Her smile was wider than I'd ever seen before, even as she ducked out of my car and out into the rain. I drove home in a Bella-induced stupor. It felt as though nothing could knock me from this high.

As I pulled into our driveway and stepped inside the house, I realized just how wrong I'd been.