Hey, everyone. Thank you so much for your reviews. They are so appreciated. Are you guys getting this awful winter storm too? I hate snow, and here in Kentucky, we've gotten a few inches and it's still falling. Once more, thank you all for reading and know that I appreciate every single one of your reviews. ˙

Bella

Edward was going to come again today. It was the first though that came to my mind and I stared at the curtain that separated my little bed from the others that filled the large room in the back of the shelter. It was time to get up…he said he'd be here around noon, wanting to give me plenty of time to get ready and to have some time 'to myself.' I wasn't sure what that meant, but I planned on using the time to read. I stretched, letting my body fill the bed. I was fully awake at least. The lingering tiredness that had plagued me for a while seemed to be gone for the moment.

I hurried through my morning routine, brushing my teeth and grabbing a granola bar for breakfast on my way to the library. It was so much to think about. Alice was offering me a job and an apartment. I wondered what was stopping me from jumping at this offer….but I didn't have to wonder long. It would mean being on my own. Completely alone. As much as I didn't want to live in a homeless shelter, I really didn't want to be alone. Vulnerable. He would find me. I'd gotten so used to having guards around at all times…to always feeling safe. Without that…what if I was walking home and he found me? What if he found out where I lived? And he would. He had resources and friends all over. What then? I knew what. He'd kill me.

"Good morning, Marie." Emmett's cheerful voice greeted me, and I glanced up from the book I wasn't reading. I'd been staring at the same page of Wuthering Heights for at least forty minutes now.

"Morning." I smiled, knowing it was a weak smile and not having the energy to do anything about it. He softened a little, going from friendly to worried.

"Whatcha reading?" He wondered, dropping down on the chair beside me. He was dressed in casual clothes like always, but I'd thought it was Jasper's turn to work this morning. Maybe he was just hanging out until his shift…they did that sometimes, especially Emmett when his wife and daughter were here. They took turns leading the security shifts, and most days there was some overlap, but there were also about ten more people working security during the day. They seemed to spend more time escorting the women around and patrolling outside, though.

I showed Emmett the cover, and he grinned. "Had to read that one in high school…I just skimmed the summary online. Failed the test, though." I smiled genuinely then, putting the book down.

"How'd you manage on the Jane Austen unit?" I wondered. Every class had one, and if he couldn't make it through this, there was no way he'd be able to make it through Pride and Prejudice.

"Pretty sure I cheated on that one." I had to laugh.

"Off of who?"

"Edward. Little show off was in advanced English….I just got on his laptop and stole his paper. Dad never did find out…neither did Edward. Don't tell, okay?"

"Afraid the teacher will drop your grade?" He snorted.

"Nah. I'm afraid Dad will ground me." He smiled easily, leaning back in the chair that, like most furniture, was dwarfed by him. "You okay?" He finally asked after the silence had gone on for a moment.

"Alice told me she and Jasper were moving." He nodded then, a grim smile turning the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah. They've been saving up for a bit, and don't tell, but our Mom and Dad are giving them a pretty good wedding present." I smiled despite the ache in my chest. Would my dad have done the same? Of course. Not that it mattered anymore. "She told you about the job too?" I nodded. He didn't ask, but I told him anyway.

"He'll find me." Emmett sighed, leaning forward but not speaking. "He told me once….he promised that if I ever ran, he'd find me, and he'd kill me." His jaw clenched, his eyes going cold.

"You know, Rose and I live pretty close." I didn't know what he was suggesting, but I shook my head.

"What am I supposed to do, have an armed escort everywhere I go?" It was a sarcastic question, but he nodded.

"If that's what it takes, then yes! Marie, you better believe Jasper and I are going to do everything in our power to keep you safe, Edward too. Especially Edward. Heck, he'd probably have already hired a bodyguard for you if you weren't living here." Unbidden, my eyes heated up, and he reached out, touching my hand. "I've never seen my brother care for someone the way he cares for you. You know that, don't you? That he cares about you?" I nodded. "I'm not going to try and meddle in your relationship…he's my brother, and I want him to be happy, but I can't begin to understand how you're feeling. Just know that he really wants to be your friend, and he wants to keep you safe. We all do. Let us."

"By hiring a bodyguard?"

"If you decide that you want this job and the apartment, then yes. I know a few guys that would be great. Nice guys you can trust. Girls too…heck, the girls are scarier. They keep their distance and they keep you safe. So don't let fear stop you if this is what you want."

"He shouldn't have to protect me."

"No, he shouldn't." I jolted a little, but he continued. "He should have to protect you, and neither should I because that bastard shouldn't have hurt you. We shouldn't have to protect you because you shouldn't be in danger. But he did, and you are. So we're going to protect you. Okay?" I gave a reluctant nod, and Emmett reached out, touching my shoulder. "We won't always have to protect you." He murmured. "He'll leave you alone eventually."

"He won't." I whispered.

"He'll have to, because we'll file a restraining order, and Jasper and I will follow you around with a tape measure, and the second that bastard gets an inch too close, we'll have him thrown in jail. Ta da. End of problem." I had to laugh a little at the grin on his face, unable to find an issue with that idea. He shifted, pulling himself up, and I was struck again by how big he was. If he wanted, he could hurt me right now. But he didn't. Instead, he smiled down at me, ruffling my hair a little. "I'll leave you to it." Stuck suddenly, I grabbed his hand, and although he could easily have pulled away, he stayed, looking down at me.

"Thank you, Emmett." I whispered. "I can't…I can't tell you how much I appreciate it…everything." He smiled, crouching down a little, putting his arm around my shoulder.

"Don't mention it, kid. You're safe now, okay?" I nodded, giving him my best watery smile, and he left me to sit on the plus chair, Wuthering Heights open in my lap, and I stayed there for another hour or so until the others at the shelter seemed to stir, and the children ran by the room, heading to breakfast with their mothers, or to church, or wherever else they went on Sunday mornings. My mother had taken me to church a few times as a child. I remembered she would go through phases. Yoga. God. Buddha. Music. Photography. She never stuck with one thing for long, or so my father had said. I barely remembered. I felt as though I should…but I didn't.

"Bella?" Edward's soft voice startled me, although he'd obviously been careful not to. I put the book down, although I'd made no progress in the last hour. "Good morning." He greeted with a smile, and I stood, going to him and letting him put his arms around me. For some reason, I needed the contact. I needed it, and he obliged easily, holding me tightly. "You alright?"

I nodded, my ear against his chest, listening to the soothing, constant sound of his heartbeat. It hit me, suddenly, how I cared for this man, and it scared me, the depth of this emotion I was suddenly feeling in full. I cared about him in a way I'd never cared for a man, and yet, the thought of having a real relationship with a man made my stomach churn. I knew he wouldn't turn into James…I trusted Edward. But could I handle it? Could I function like a normal human after living under that monster for so long?

"Bella?" He spoke quietly enough that no one else would hear. I bit my lip, making myself remember that I was with him now, and that was all that mattered. He was with me, and he would protect me. The day before, when he and his sister had taken me shopping, I'd started to feel normal again. With him standing by and his brother's on speed dial, I knew I was safe, and I'd had fun with another girl for the first time in so long. He'd made that happen.

But what Emmett had said about a bodyguard…if he offered…could I accept? Even if it wasn't full time security, someone to watch the apartment at night? Or just to get me home at night? I didn't know. I had no idea what I could do. What I should do. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

Somehow, Edward and I had gotten in his car…he and I were going somewhere, although I hadn't really asked where. I was just happy to be out with him. He'd asked if I wanted to go somewhere and I'd nodded. The shelter was feeling more and more like a prison, as I could never bring myself to leave alone. "What Alice said…about the apartment." He nodded, eyes still on the road, but his attention was on me. His attention was always on me when I was speaking…I was important to him, that's what Emmett had said. Edward cared about me. I meant something to this man. I couldn't remember the last time I'd really meant something to someone. "I don't know if I can do it." I whispered, hated the words as I said them but it was true.

"If you can't, that's okay. No one said you had to be ready yet…in fact, it's really soon. You only arrived a few weeks ago. No one expects you to be ready for something like this yet."

"But it would be great if I was." I told him, letting the bitterness creep in just a bit. He shrugged.

"I'm not so sure about that. I'd be kind of worried, honestly, if you were suddenly completely okay with everything that's happened."

"It's a great opportunity."

"There will be more opportunities. Alice was trying to be helpful, but she understands if you don't take her up on it."

"It would be a good job."

"You could take the job and not the apartment." He suggested, reaching over and touching my hand gently. I flipped my hand, not thinking about what I was doing, and taking his as he drove. He squeezed my hand, taking care to be gentle, but I squeezed back. It was comfortable. Like something had shifted in my heart, everything was perfect, me holding his hand, his eyes on the wheel but his attention on me as we drove. The gentle electricity that seemed to hum between us when we touched. It was perfect. I…I cut the thought off there. I couldn't. Not yet.

"If I took a job outside of the shelter…how…how would I get there?"

"The bus." He suggested. "I could drive you some days." Don't think about what this means, I told myself sharply. I had so much going on. I couldn't think about this. "Emmett or Jasper could drive you sometimes. There are other guards who work for Rose…they drive or walk some of the women to and from work. It would be easier because you would work in the afternoon."

"I couldn't ask you…"

"You didn't. I offered." He told me simply, turning with a small smile when we reached a red light. "Where did you want to go today?" He wondered. I honestly had no idea. I just wanted to be out with him. Anywhere. I felt safe. And…cared for. Did that make me selfish?

"I don't care." I told him simply. He grinned, turning the car onto the expressway.

"How about a new part of the city? Somewhere you haven't been?"

"I haven't really been anywhere."

"Exactly." And with that, he stayed on the expressway for a few miles, then got off on a exit, turning into a side road, then parking next to a large body of water…some sort of lake. "Blue Lake Park." He told me, shutting of the car. "How about we take a walk?" I smiled, nodding. It was actually a nice day, fairly warm, and I was comfortable in the new outfit, complete with a light jacket. It was, for once, not raining.

He stepped out of the car, moving over to my side and opening the door. I took his offered hand with a smile, feeling touched by the gesture. He ran a thumb over the back of my hand, leading the way toward the lake, and we began the loop around the lake, following the sidewalk. In the distance, I could see a small playground and some empty tennis courts. "Are you warm enough?" He asked after a moment. I nodded. I was perfectly comfortable.

"Is this your last day off?" I wondered, knowing that he'd have to go back at some point, and then I wouldn't see him for another week. It hurt, somehow, even though I knew he had no obligation to see me every day.

"Yes…I'll have to work for a few days…I'm off on Thursday though, and Friday I don't have to go in until noon." It was ridiculous…that I felt bad about this. That I would miss him so much. Why would I miss this man so much? Why? Why did I care for him so much? He'd been kind to me. Did that mean I…"I've actually been thinking about going into family medicine…maybe work at a doctor's office." I realized I'd missed something, and I turned to him in surprise.

"Really?"

"I love working at the hospital, but the hours are insane. It takes its toll on you. My father has worked there for a long time…I don't know how he does it. I mean, he always had plenty of time for us growing up, and he and my mom have always spent a lot of time with one another…still, I don't think it's what I want."

"What do you want?" I wondered, looking up at him, and for a second, he paused, his steps hesitating as he looked down at me. I could see it plainly in his face. Me. He wanted me. Instead, though, he spoke in more general terms.

"A family. A life outside of my work. To spend time with someone I love every day…to not have to take naps in abandoned hospital corridors." I had to smile at that thought.

"That sounds awful."

"It's worse than it sounds." He told me with a chuckle. "Sometimes, I'm tempted to throw the stupid pager out the window. Luckily we haven't been too busy lately. I just…don't want to spend my life at the hospital, you know? I want more than that."

"I understand." I told him, squeezing his hand. "You do great with the kids here."

"I like working with the kids." He acknowledged. "That's why I'd like to go into family medicine…that and the steady hours." He was quiet for a moment. "You know, Alice is having dinner at her place tonight…my parents will be there, and I'm sure Emmett and Rosalie are going too. Would you like to go?"

"With…your family?" I asked, mildly shocked. Surely I wasn't welcome at a family dinner. I…I wasn't family!

"Yes, of course. Alice actually asked me to invite you. She wanted to show you the apartment, even if you don't want to live there. She loves to show off her interior designing skills." He smiled indulgently. He loved his sister…he loved… "So, did you want to go?" Did I want to go to a family dinner with Edward Cullen, my boss, two bodyguards, two doctors, and…well, I guessed Esme was a doctor? So…lots of doctors and two bodyguards. At a family dinner. When I wasn't family…or really anything to these people.

"Why?" I blurted it out, instantly closing my mouth and hoping he didn't take offence, but he merely smiled.

"You're my friend." He told me simply. "I care about you. You're important to me, and you're important to my family."

I didn't let myself say why again…I did want to go with him. I wanted to go to dinner at Alice's and spend more time with Edward, so I nodded. It wasn't like I had other plans. "It's beautiful here." He glanced down at me with a smile.

"It is." He paused by the lake, and we stared across the lake to the park on the other side. "I used to come here sometimes as a kid…my dad brought me, or I'd come with Emmett. He and some other guys would play football."

"What about you?"

"Nah. I wasn't a big football player. Emmett was the athletic one. I liked music better."

"Right, you play the piano."

"I used to."

"I'd love to hear you play."

He turned to me, a small smile turning his lips. "Really?"

"Yeah."

We stood in his back room, a lovely piano pushed against a wall, the sheet that had covered it before now on the floor. For a moment, I stood by the bench, watching him lift the cover off of the keys, and he smiled up at me, patting the bench. I joined him then, sitting next to him, so close our legs touched. "I took lessons all through school…my mom loved to hear me play. She loves music as much as I do."

"Why did you stop?" I wondered.

"When I started med school, I suddenly had a lot less time on my hands. This was a gift from Carlisle…he got it for me when I graduated from med school…he said I should pick it up again. They were both very supportive of my love for music…Carlisle even asked at one point if I'd rather study music in college, but I loved medicine too much. I guess I got that from him." I pressed my shoulder against him, and he placed a piece of sheet music that looked handwritten on the shelf, stretching his fingers and then playing a scale. And then he started to play.

I was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard. The kindest, most caring man I'd ever met, who also happened to be a doctor who was good with kids and who cared about me, could also play the most beautiful music I'd ever heard. When the music came to a natural end, he turned to me, his smile hopeful, and it turned to a look of worry and concern when he saw tears drip down my face. "Bella? Are you okay?" I sobbed then, putting a hand over my mouth and cursing myself for being such an idiot. What was I doing? "Bella?" He put a hand on my shoulder, then around my shoulders.

"Why couldn't it have been you?" He paused at the choked words, pulling away a little as I dropped my face in my hands.

"What?" He asked softly.

"Why couldn't I have met you first?" He sighed, pulling me tightly into my arms, his lips on my forehead.

"I don't know." He murmured, his cheek on the top of my head. "I don't know, Bella, but I wish it could have been me. I wish I could have known you…before he could hurt you. I wish I could have protected you. I wish we could have been together. I wish…" He trailed off then, and I shook my head. I needed him to continue. Just being friends wasn't going to be enough. I knew it for sure now. I needed Edward. There had to be something between friends and…lovers?

"What do you wish?" He was quiet. "I wish we could be together." I admitted. "I wish…I hate him. He took everything…."

"We can be friends." He murmured, stroking my cheek.

"That's not all I want." He cupped my face in his hands, turning to face me completely, straddling the bench.

"That's not all I want either." He admitted. I knew that I shouldn't. I knew that my emotions were all over the place, and that I shouldn't be dating someone…I'd tried. I'd tried to do it alone, but I couldn't. I couldn't do this alone, and Edward was right here, offering to help me…to love me. How could he love me already? Somehow, he did. I could see it in his eyes. But I wasn't going to bring that up. Instead, I leaned forward a little, my lips moving closer to his, and he met me halfway, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me close.

I was safe with Edward. I still flinched a little when he wrapped his arms around me, but this was fine. He was with me, and he was holding me, and his lips were on mine and it felt amazing. Better than I remembered. His eyes closed after a second, and his tongue touched my lips as if seeking permission to deepen the kiss. I responded enthusiastically, my arms winding around his neck, one going into his hair. This was different. He wasn't James.

But then, something shifted, and I felt myself stiffen, remembering for some reason. I could have screamed in frustration when he pulled away, but his hand went back to cupping my cheek. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to push."

"You didn't." I whispered, not wanting to break the spell that seemed to settle over us. For a long time, we just sat there, together on a piano bench, my body against his. "I wanted it." I told him, not wanting him to feel guilty for a second. "Since…since that first kiss, I wanted more." He nodded, stroking a hand down my hair. "I just…I want this." I told him. "But…can we go…slow?" He leaned in, kissing me again, incredibly gently this time, his lips barely brushing mine.

"We can go as slowly as you need to." He whispered, his tone matching mine. "Anything you need, Bella. I swear…you are so important to me. I couldn't bear to hurt you." I felt my eyes fill again, but this time, I was smiling.

"I know." And I did. I didn't care anymore that this might not be a great idea. I didn't care that I'd wanted to do this on my own. I wanted Edward. Even though it would be a long time before I could willing give myself to a man, I trusted Edward. And I cared for him, more than I'd ever cared for any man. The connection between us was real, and I knew that I couldn't pass up this opportunity for a relationship with him. He would have just been my friend, I knew that. But he that wasn't enough, for me or for him.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it (or didn't hate it...)