Another update!!! Aren't you lucky people!!! I probably won't update again for at least another week. The next chapter is pretty writing intensive and it going to take lots of focus and rewrites. I'm getting very close to the baseball scene. So be patient with me, enjoy the updates, and I promise, its soon to get much more exciting.


Bella was buckled into the passenger seat of her rickety old truck and surprisingly let me drive without objection. We had just passed through the small one horse town of Forks and had reached the bridge at the Calawah River. I looked over at her, watching her watch the road, seemingly memorizing the way as we drove. She hadn't been to the house before, most towns people haven't. The homes along the road grew further and further apart as we got closer to home. Soon there were no more homes, just trees as far as the eyes could see. I took the regular left hand turn onto our gravel drive and continued on until the yard came into clear view. I watched Bella's delighted reaction as Esme's pride and joy emerged from the thick green foliage. The large faded white mansion, stood like a monument among the dense greenery. Her eyes grew large at the enormity of the house. I don't think she quite expected it to look this cheerful. Perhaps she was expecting a graveyard or a crypt. I parked the truck in front of the house.

"Wow." Seemed to be the only way she could sum up her feelings.

"You like it?" I asked.

"It… has a certain charm." She quipped, smiling back at me. I tugged her ponytail playfully and chuckled. I got out of the drivers side and with vampire speed, I opened hers.

"Ready?" I asked her, extending my hand to her.

"Not even a little bit – let's go." She tried to laugh it off taking my hand, but I could see her nerves starting to get to her. She began to tug at her clothes, trying to smooth and straighten them.

"You look lovely," I reminded her, grabbing her hand again and giving it a small squeeze and leading the way to the door. We walked up the front porch to the door; I rubbed the back of her hand with my thumb, trying to reassure her it was going to be alright. I opened the front door and invited her inside. I watched the wonder in her eyes as she took in the grand foyer of our home. It was bright and airy and beautifully decorated thanks to Esme and Alice's good taste. I could instantly tell; it wasn't what she expected. Perhaps she was expecting coffins. Carlisle and Esme greeted us in the family room. For all intensive purposes, they were my parents, and I wanted this meeting to go well, their approval meant the world to me. I knew they would love Bella as I did, I just hoped it would go smoothly. Esme had a wide, lovely smile upon her face. I was beginning to thing she was more excited about meeting Bella than Alice was. Esme didn't look old enough to be my mother, much as Carlisle didn't look old enough to be my father. Occasionally, when we relocated, Esme would be my older sister; this helped our cover story and allowed us to homestead longer. If it was any consolation, I loved them like they were my real parents.

"Carlisle, Esme," I introduced. "This is Bella."

"You're very welcome, Bella." Carlisle greeted her, extending his hand carefully, as not to frighten her. Bella politely reached out and shook his hand in return.

"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen."

"Please, call me Carlisle." She is wonderful Edward, he thought.

"Carlisle," she repeated and grinned. I felt myself relax at her side, happy she seemed so comfortable. I could hear Esme's thoughts buzzing. She was very anxious to get her turn with Bella as well.

"It's very nice to know you," Esme gushed, reaching out for Bella's hand, smiling sweetly. She's beautiful, Edward, she added for my own personal benefit.

"Thank you. I'm glad to meet you, too." Bella exchanged, shaking Esme's hand as well. I was glad to see Bella was at ease, and delighted to see the Carlisle and Esme approved of our love.

"Where are Alice and Jasper?" I asked as they appeared at the top of the long curving staircase.

"Hey Edward!" Alice called excitedly. She quickly flitted down the stairs like a little butterfly bouncing from flower to flower. She landed on the wood floor gracefully in front of Bella, who looked slightly stunned at Alice's very eager advances.

"Hi Bella!" Alice said as she bounced forward and gave her a welcoming peck on the cheek. Carlisle and Esme's faces were in complete shock. It's about time Edward, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show, she directed at me. "You do smell nice, I never noticed before," Alice commented to Bella. I felt my body stiffen at her statement, I could feel Bella's body temperature rise with embarrassment. I'm sure if I had the ability to blush, I would be blushing as well; Alice's approach not only made me nervous, but embarrassed me as well. An awkward silence hushed our conversation for but a moment, and then Jasper appeared among us.

"Hello Bella," Jasper said in a hushed tone, keeping his distance. I knew it must be very hard for him, knowing he was so new to our life style. I looked to Alice for guidance. He'll be ok, don't worry, she thought.

"Hello Jasper." Bella greeted him with a shy smile. "It's nice to meet you all – you have a very beautiful home." She complimented.

"Thank you," Esme accepted, "We're so glad you came." She's very brave Edward.

I smiled in Esme's direction, letting her know I agreed with her observation. I took notice that Emmett and Rosalie were nowhere to be seen. I would have thought at least Emmett would have come to greet Bella; he seemed interested in meeting her. I was sure Rose was his main hesitation.

It seems to be going well. I'm glad you are happy my son. Don't worry, Rosalie and Emmett will come around. Carlisle thought, giving me a meaningful stare. Alice sees some visitors in our area. You had best keep Bella close and keep her out of the woods. They are very curious about us, and know we're around. Be mindful and vigilant. I nodded a small nod in acknowledgment.

"Do you play?" I heard Esme ask of Bella. Bella must have seen the grand piano in the corner.

She shook her head, "Not at all. But it's so beautiful. Is it yours?" That's right; I hadn't told her of my musical aptitude.

"No," Esme's laugh tickled the air. "Edward didn't tell you he was musical?"

"No," I felt Bella's playfully accusing glare on me. I looked away, feigning innocence. "I should have known I guess." Esme raised an eyebrow to Bella's response.

"Edward can do everything, right?" Bella teased. I heard Jasper snicker, and Esme gave me a sweet but scolding look.

"I hope you haven't been showing off - it's rude," Esme admonished.

"Just a bit," I laughed quietly at her mothering. Edward Cullen, I hope your being a gentleman, she thought.

"He's been too modest actually." Bella pointed out.

"Well, play for her," Esme prodded me.

"You said showing off was rude," I kidded her.

"There are exceptions to every rule." She pointed out.

"I'd like to hear you play." Bella chimed in.

"It's settled then." Esme said, taking my arm and leading me to the bench. I grabbed Bella's arm, bringing her along for the ride. I set her on the black bench beside me and gave her a long maddened look. It was almost like having real parents, bragging about my accomplishments and showing me off in front of company. Bella looked very interested in what I was about to do. I turned towards the ivories and thought for a moment. I decided to play Esme's favorite piece. She did set me up for this after all. I let my hands tickle the ivories; my fingers had their own memories, knowing exactly where to land at the exact time to land there. No mistakes, no wrong notes, no sharps in stead of flats, the music flowed from my fingertips to the keys, flawless in every way.

"You wrote this?" Bella asked of me, her voice sounded surprised.

I nodded, "It's Esme's favorite." I noticed Bella closed her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief. "What's wrong?"

"I'm feeling extremely insignificant."

I allowed the music to slow and transition into my newest composition, Bella's lullaby. I played a few bars and leaned into her ear and whispered softly. "You inspired this one." The music became sweet and soft, much like a lullaby should be. I heard everyone quietly step out of the room. How lovely, Esme thought. Have fun Edward!, Alice's small voice twinkled in my head as she exited with Jasper.

"They like you, you know," I assured Bella. "Esme especially." I felt Bella relax further. She glanced around the room, noticing that everyone had ducked out silently to give us our privacy.

"Where did they go?" She asked.

"Very subtly giving us some privacy, I suppose." I continued to play for her and I heard her sigh.

"They like me. But Rosalie and Emmett…" Her voice trailed off. I could tell she was disappointed, and I was in turn disappointed with them also.

"Don't worry about Rosalie," I looked her in the eyes. Everyone knows I don't, I thought. "She'll come around," I assured her.

She pursed her lips skeptically, "Emmett?"

"Well," I explained. "He thinks I'm a lunatic, it's true, but he doesn't have a problem with you. He's trying to reason with Rosalie." Trying to reason with Rosalie was harder than wrestling a wild, ravenous grizzly; I didn't envy Emmett's job.

"What is it that upsets her?" Bella inquired. What doesn't upset Rosalie? It was days like this I was glad Rosalie didn't have the gift of reading thoughts. I sighed, trying to come up with a way to answer he question.

"Rosalie struggles most with… what we are. It's hard for her to have someone on the outside know the truth." I explained, "And she's a little jealous."

"Rosalie is jealous of me?" She asked; a look of complete shock on her face. Bella didn't seem to understand what a gift being human was. How much we missed out on because we had to hide what we were.

"You're human." I pointed out and shrugged. "She wished that she were, too." As did I and most of my family. The only thing our immortality seemed to reward us with was each other.

"Oh," Bella responded, seemingly beginning to understand our plight. "Even Jasper, though…"

"That's really my fault. I told you he was the most recent to our way of life. I warned him to keep his distance." I warned him so as to not put him in any compromising position that would cause him pain and set him up for failure.

"Esme and Carlisle…?"

"Are happy to see me happy." I finished her sentence. "Actually, Esme wouldn't care if you had a third eye and webbed feet." I smiled at her and her face turned slightly pink. "All this time she's been worried about me, afraid that there was something missing from my essential makeup, that I was too young when Carlisle changed me…" I trailed off thinking of the pity looks I used to receive. "She's ecstatic. Every time I touch you, she just about chokes with satisfaction." I smiled. Her reaction, no matter how loving, was still priceless.

"Alice seems very… enthusiastic." Bella said politely. It was true; Alice could be very overwhelming at times.

"Alice has her own way of looking at things," I tiptoed around the subject, not wanting to get into the actual things she saw. Yeah, first she sees then; then they happen.

"And you're not going to explain that are you?" I sat there in silence, not able to explain Alice's visions to her. Once she realized I wasn't going to answer her question, she began a whole new line of questioning.

"So, what was Carlisle telling you before?" She was very observant.

I examined her face, trying to decide whether or not she could handle the news. However, she had made it this far, she hadn't run from the house in terror yet. "He wanted to tell me some news – he didn't know if it was something I would share with you."

"Will you?"

"I have to, because I'm going to be a little… overbearingly protective over the next few days – or weeks – and I wouldn't want you to think I'm naturally a tyrant." I smiled at her and looked back down at the keys, my fingers still flying away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"What's wrong?" She asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Nothing's wrong, exactly." I stalled, trying to smooth over the situation. "Alice just sees some visitors coming soon. They know we're here, and they are curious."

"Visitors?" Her concerned look turned more fearful.

"Yes…" Explain it to her, my mind told me, she can handle it. She needs to know for her own safety. "Well, they aren't like us, of course – in their hunting habits, I mean. They probably won't come into town at all, but I'm certainly not going to let you out of my sight until they're gone." I tried to reassure her safety. I felt her shiver with fear. "Finally, a rational response!" I murmured. "I was beginning to think you had no sense of self preservation at all." I winked at her. She ignored my rousing, and looked around the large open floor plan again.

"Not what you expected, is it?" I was curious to know what she expected.

"No."

"No coffins, no piled skulls in corners; I don't even think we have cobwebs… what a disappointment this must be for you." I joked with a sly smile on my face.

"It's so light and open." She ignored me again, and looked up towards the high vaulted ceilings.

"It's the one place we never have to hide." I took a more serious tone. This house was our sanctuary. We didn't have to sleep in coffins on sunny days, or hide under rocks. Here we could soak up the suns rays, and feel it's warmth on our cold marble skin. The tempo of the lullaby slowed as I came to the final stanzas. She listened attentively as I hit the final key. The sound resonated in the air for what seemed like minutes. I looked for Bella's response, only to find her, next to me, lovely as ever, with tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Thank you." She blubbered, her face turning a rosy pink color, reaching her hands up to wipe away the moisture. I noticed she missed a small tear in the outer corner of her soft brown eye. I reached up, listing to her heart take off in a staccato pace, as I touched her face and brushed the rogue tear onto my thumb. It had been a century since I had last shed a single tear. The down fall to being a vampire; you could certainly cry, but they were painful dry heaving sobs that were never truly rewarding because of the lack of tears. I wondered for a moment, being a well read man, with a PhD, I had read in a medical journal that there was a significant similarity between blood and tears. So I did the unthinkable. In a lighting fast move, I placed my damp thumb in my mouth. Salt. The composition may be similar but the taste was definitely not the same. Part of me was hoping to taste her in some capacity, but to no avail. I looked into Bella's eyes; she had a confused look on her face. Had she seen me? I was officially embarrassed. I waited for her to ask why I had done it; and what would I tell her? Since I can't drink your blood, I thought I'd taste test your tears. Smooth, Edward. But she never said a word.

I smiled at her as my embarrassment faded. "Do you want to see the rest of the house?"

"No coffins?" She teased me sarcastically. I couldn't help but laugh and I took her hand, leading her away from the baby grand.

"No coffins." I grinned.