AN: August 16, 2010 prompt. Part three of Spooky House.

Penname: ericastwilight

Original or Derivative (fanfiction): fanfiction

Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, unbeta'd Part III to Spooky House.

Disclaimer: All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Lollipop

After the encounter at the coffee shop, Edward returned home. What he wanted was desperately to go to Bella and Jamie. He was confused though and scared.

How does a person protect those they care for if he can't see them? He wanted answers to many questions.

A part of him refused to believe that Bella and Jamie could see spirits walk amongst the living. Yet, they there was a larger part that believed. It would explain so much, their reluctance to his home, the strange sounds, and their sudden departures at certain venues.

He had to find a way to make it up to them. To talk to them, Edward wanted answers and to do what he could to help. He sat in his living room as the sky darkened outside.

That's when he heard the footsteps at the stairs. Though Edward had heard strange things, there was something else usually going on. He never heard anything so clearly. They weren't loud, but they were hurried.

The person who walked them now had no shoes on from what Edward can only guess. His breath hitched as more footsteps were heard, these much louder than the first. Just as hurried.

It was a chase. Someone was running from another person.

Edward turned slowly, the foot of the stairway illuminated by a small light overheard. There was no one there, but he heard as the sounds stopped suddenly. The louder of the two sets of footsteps was the only one to ascend the stairs again.

Edward was astonished. Was this what Bella and Jamie had witnessed and heard in his home? He was terrified, yet intrigued.

Edward jumped from his perch on the couch as someone knocked on the front door. He managed to control his breathing before opening the door, but only just. When he opened the door, he found Jamie there offering him a blue lollipop.

Edward smiled because he knew that Jamie was giving him a peace offering. Jamie favored the blue ones. "You shouldn't be here alone," he said softly. He took the lollipop from the handsome little boy and lifted him into his arms.

"Let's get you back to your mommy," Edward said as he turned to close the front door behind him.

"Mommy crying," he whispered. And Edward's heart broke. He had made the beautiful woman cry.

He hurried his steps across the street and didn't pause at the front door. He ascended the stairs to where he knew Bella's room was. He timidly knocked on her door, alerting her that he was there. He opened the door and found his girlfriend in bed, her body curled up in fetal position.

"Bella," Edward whispered softly. Gently he lay down with Jamie between them. Her eyes snapped open, wide and alert. She smiled timidly. Edward could see the redness in her eyes, the glistening of tears and dried tracks of them along her cheeks.

"Thank you," she whispered. "He asked to go to bed early, should've known it was a ploy."

"You really need to update your locks if he's going to keep getting away."He hadn't come to scold her, but he couldn't help the need to protect Jamie.

Bella nodded but grimaced. Edward held up Jamie's offering and smiled. "I guess he likes me."This caused Bella to smile.

"I like you," she murmured.

Unable to resist the urge to touch her, he laid his forehead against hers.

"I more than like you, Bella," he whispered, causing her smile beautifully.

"I'm sorry."

Edward shook his head. "I understand why you didn't say anything. You wanted to protect yourselves, and you needed to trust me first."

Bella nodded. "Jamie stopped talking a year ago, after my father had passed."

"I'm guessing that's when Jamie started to see them," Edward asked.

"Maybe," she said softly. "I think he saw them before that. He just didn't understand that they weren't living anymore. He became aware when my father died."

"Because he came to see him," Edward guessed.

"That's what I think."

"I'm sorry for not believing you at first," he said softly, tucking and errant strand of hair behind Bella's ear.

"I understand that you had to come to terms with it first."

"I want to know everything." Edward leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.

Jamie snickered between them. They smiled.

"I'll tell you everything you need to know," Bella said with a small smile. "But first I need to get this one ready for bed."

"Bedtime stories," Edward said warmly.

"Want to join us?"

He nodded and took Jamie in his arms, grasping Bella's hand. Together they walked to his bedroom.

Edward gave them a few minutes, grabbing a glass of wine downstairs. Once Bella called to him, he was enlisted to read Jamie a story. He took pleasure in Jamie's excitement as he read of dragons and swords. Soon Jamie's eyes drooped and finally closed. Together Bella and Edward tucked the sleeping child beneath his covers.

Taking Bella's hand, Edward pulled her against his side. He kissed the top of her head as he turned out the bedroom light. Bella left a light on in the hallway, and Edward didn't question it. He knew it was a precaution, just in case the little boy sought out his mother in the darkness.

Together Bella and Edward went downstairs and had a glass of wine. Slowly, Bella told Edward about her seemingly perfect childhood.

Though it seemed typical of most childhoods, there was a something very different. Bella's imaginary friends were real.

How does one have such a gift and still function normally as an adult?

He took Bella's hand from her lap, turning on the couch to face her. "I heard them on the stairs today. There are two of them, isn't there?"

Bella nodded. "A woman and a man."

"Do you know anything of them?"

"From what I've seen there, I think they may only be residual." Edward felt a "but" coming on. He motioned for her to continue. "However, I hear a woman crying when I'm there."

"Have you tried talking to her?"

Bella nodded. "Her name is Tanya."

AN: Another lollipop one is coming, just finishing it now—for my geekward—Dreamt of You. Stay tuned.

Erica