I waited a couple of hours before I untangled my body from Bella's. She shifted restlessly, reaching for the empty space. I took the teddy bear and set it in her arms. She cuddled it close to her and hummed in pleasure. I brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and kissed her forehead.
"You're so beautiful" I whispered softly so I wouldn't wake her up.
I hopped from the window effortlessly. I landed on the forest floor without a sound. I ran quickly to the car and sped home. I ran into the house and grabbed a backpack. I stuffed a change of clothes and a book into it.
"How is she?" Carlisle rested in the door frame.
"I'm not sure honestly. Whenever I am away from here she breaks down. But when I am around her... she seems so calm. Like nothing ever happened."
"It's not uncommon for people to created strong feelings towards the people who rescue them." He placed his hands in his pockets, watching me with mild curiosity.
"Do you think that's all it is?" I said in a quiet voice.
"No." he shrugged off the wall and walked towards me. "I see the way she looks at you."
"I hope you're right." I sighed, throwing my bag over my shoulder.
"I am." He smiled. "Like you said. I know love."
I chuckled, "How angry is everyone?"
"Alice and Esme are falling over themselves. They are so excited. Jasper is happy as long as Alice is." He blocked his thoughts from me.
"Emmett and Rosalie?"
"Emmett is Emmett. Rosalie on the other hand is mad. She's wondering why you would throw everything away for a human girl." He placed his hand on my shoulder.
"Do you understand why?" I looked at him, trying to mask my anxiety. His opinion was the only one that matter in the end.
"Of course. I just happy you're happy. I trust your judgment. You know what's right for you."
"Thank you, Carlisle. No son had a better Father." I shook his hand.
"Bella is lucky to have you."
"Trust me, it's the other way around." I looked down at my feet. "Besides, you have to say that."
He smiled and chuckled, "No, I don't and you know it. Go have a good night, okay?"
I simply smiled at him and ran back out of the house. It was nice to run through the cool woods. It didn't take me long until I was less then a mile from Bella's home. I searched the woods there and within 30 minutes I had found two deer. My thirst was satisfied, for now at least. I was beginning to feel the anxiety build in me. I didn't like being away from her. I walked back towards her house.
"You really care about her, huh?" I turned to the voice.
"Yes. Why, Jasper?" I walked towards my brother.
"I wanted to let you know that I support you. It's more then just being 'happy that Alice is happy'." He didn't look at me, but towards Bella's home.
"Oh, thank you. It's good to know."
"It's hard going against the norm, isn't it?" He chuckled.
"Yeah, if we weren't already freaky enough..." I snorted.
He smiled but then his face fell. I saw his mind contort in agony. "She's scared. So scared." he repeated over and over again in his head. I took off like a shot and ran faster then I ever had before back to her. I slipped into the window.
Bella whimpered in her sleep, her body shaking. Tears streamed down her face. I dropped the bag from my shoulder and knelt beside her bed. I took her hands in mine. I began to kiss the silky flesh of her palms. The shaking slowly stopped.
"Love, wake up please. It's just a nightmare." I whispered softly so not to scare her.
Her eyes fluttered open slowly. They were completely glazed over with tears. "Oh... Edward..." She scooted her body closer to mine. She pressed her forehead against mine. Her breath spread in my nose and her tears covered my flesh. I placed my hands on either side of her cheeks, stroking her temples with my thumbs.
"I'm sorry, I had to hunt. I never should of left." Guilt washed over me.
Her arms snaked around my neck. "I'm sorry. I feel like I'm keeping you prisoner here. You should be stuck with a co-dependent freak."
"I drink blood, hear other peoples thoughts and never sleep. You're a freak?"
She laughed slightly, a small smile spreading over her lips. She placed her fingers over my cheeks. She pulled back slightly and gazed into my eyes. Her eyes were the most amazing shade of chocolate brown.
"May I kiss you?" She whispered, a scarlet red spread over her skin.
I felt a nervous happiness spread through my body. I simply nodded. She leaned forward slowly and pressed her lips against my forehead, and then to my cheeks. I couldn't help but smile at her innocence. She pulled back for a second, collecting her thoughts. She took a deep breath and leaned closer. Her eye lids drooped shut as she pressed her lips to mine. I could feel the blood beneath her skin, the warmth of her soft tongue as it grazed my flesh. Her pulse quickened as the kiss deepened. I felt like I would explode if I did not stop. But I didn't want to. It was too wonderful. Her tongue dragged across my bottom lip, making me shudder. I slide my hands to her neck and as gently as I could, I pulled her back.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of done that..." She said, embarrassed.
"You did nothing wrong. That was..." I leaned forward and capture her lips again. It only lasted a few seconds, showing her how much I loved this. I felt selfish though, wanting her. She'd been so hurt and I couldn't take the chance of hurting her even more. Doing damage that can't be undone. "Amazing Bella. You are amazing." I whispered as I pulled back. I rested my head against the bed. She shuffled her body so that she laid her head a few inches from mine.
"That was my first real kiss." She whispered.
I smiled brightly at her, letting my fingers drag over her cheek. "I love you."
"I love you,too." Her smile was weak and her eyes were heavy with sleep. "Come back to bed." She muttered, her speech slightly slurred.
"Yes, ma'am." I chucked as I kicked off my shoes and crawled in beside her. She turned towards me and rested her head on my chest.
"Oh, Bella. If I weren't so selfish I'd tell you to run away from me." I leaned my face into her hair.
"I'd never run from you." She spoke into my chest.
"You should though. I'm a monster."
"If you're a monster, you're exactly the kind of monster I'd want to be." Her fingers were gripping my shirt.
"Don't say that. Please." I whispered. I didn't want her to be like me.
"Even if I didn't say it, it would still be true."
I pulled her completely on top of me and held her as close as possible. Her cheek rested against the crook of my neck. "Go to sleep. You're so tired." I began to hum to her softly as I pulled the blanket around her beautiful little body.
We laid there the rest of the night like that. It was amazing. I never imagined when I use to watch her that one day I would lay with her. It was the nicest feeling in the world. I hated moving from her when Charlie woke up. I felt like a fool for hiding in her closet.
At 6 in the morning he knocked on the door. Bella stirred awake slowly then began to spin her head around, looking for me. I whispered "I'm here" so softly that I was surprised she heard me but a small smile spread over her lips.
"Yeah, Dad?"
He opened the door slowly and stood at the brim of the room. "Hey kid, how are you?"
"I'll live." she straightened the blankets around her legs.
"Listen, I've got to go take care of some business at the station. If you don't want to be alone I can hold it off or you can come with me..." He said fast. He wasn't sure what he should do or what she'd want.
"Oh. Go ahead Dad. I can take care of myself for a while. How long will you be gone?" She picked the fuzz off the blanket.
"A few hours, if that's okay." He looked down at his feet. He felt guilty for leaving her.
"It's alright. Really. I'll probably be asleep most of the time you're gone anyway."She smiled at him reassuringly.
"I'll bring us back some dinner. What would you like?" The guilt still filtered through his mind.
"Anything is great. Go, you don't want to be late for work." She smiled and he relaxed a little.
"I can't be late. I'm the boss. I'm on time whatever time I arrive." He chuckled a bit. He started to move to hug her but changed his mind. "Bye kid."
I waited until he was out of the house. Bella flopped back onto the bed, her eyes closed. She ran her fingers over her eyes.
"You don't have to be so noble." I sat down in her rocker. She sat straight up and pressed her hand to her chest.
"Jesus, you scared me."
I couldn't help but laugh. She relaxed and smiled at me. "I'm not being noble. I will be fine, as long as you're here."
She pulled herself out of bed and walked towards me. I opened my arms to her and she sat in my lap. It felt so natural.
"How mad do you think your Dad will be if I'm here when he gets back?" I stroked her hair.
"Are you bullet proof?" She snickered.
"Okay, well that answers that question. Sarcastic." I chuckled." When I hear him coming back, I'll leave briefly and then return. Is that okay?"
"If you must." She sighed.
"Only for a few minutes. I promise. I'll let you have dinner with your Dad and then I'll come spend the evening with you again." I kissed her cheek. I wanted to kiss her lips again but I didn't want to frighten her. I would let her start those kisses to make sure she was comfortable.
"Come on, lets go get breakfast." She nodded and lead me down to the kitchen. I sat at the table and watched as she danced around the kitchen making her meal.
"Mm... nothing says good morning like seared pig." I snorted.
She laughed and sat her plate down at the table. She had scrambled eggs, toast and a few pieces of bacon. "What do you have against my seared pig?"
"Nothing. I think it has something against your heart though" She stuck her tongue out and then took a big bite of the bacon.
"I have a question." She nibbled on a piece of buttered toast. "What would happen if you ate some of this?" She waved her hand over plate.
I picked up a piece of the greasy bacon. It felt disgusting against my skin and it made my stomach twist. I brought it to my lips and took a large bite and swallowed it down. Bella watched me with open curiosity.
"How is it?"
"It's... disgusting." I had to fight the urge not to bring it right back up. She giggled at the face I made. She snatched the bacon from my fingers.
"Then don't waste perfectly good bacon." She took a large bite. I eyed her as the fear spread over my body. I shouldn't of done that. I should of thought of the venom. I continued to watch her but nothing happened. She took another bite and raised an eye brow.
"Is watching me eat that interesting?"
"It's been a long time since I actually really watched humans eat." I lied. I felt a slow rush of relief flow through my cold veins.
She rolled her eyes and finished the piece. She ate like she'd never eaten before. I could practically hear her stomach purr in joy at being so full. I smiled at her.
"What do you want to do today?" She walked to the sink and washed her plate.
"Whatever you desire." I grabbed a towel and stood beside her. I took the wet plate from her hand and dried it carefully before placing it in the cabinet where it belonged.
"I'd desire a bath and some more time in bed, maybe. Is that okay?" She dried her hands.
"As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter."
She smiled, leaning against the counter. "Thank you" she whispered in a sweet voice.
I took her hand and lead her back to her bed room. I sat on her tiny bed as she searched for her things for her bath. She clutched a small bag to her body, along with a change of clothes. "Don't go anywhere."
I became completely still, and even stopped breathing. She laughed, "Okay, you can move." I instantly softened at her words.
I listened to her footsteps down the hall. She turned on the bathwater. I decided it was time to change my clothes. I did it rather slowly so I wouldn't be listening to her. I didn't want to invade her privacy. I folded my clothes neatly and placed them back into my black backpack. I stuck it back into the closest to grab later.
I sat back on her rocker and listened to the flowing water. It was a soothing sound, almost as soothing as Bella's heart beat. I closed my eyes and listened to every little movement. It felt so much like eavesdropping but I couldn't help it. The water shut off and I heard another sound.
I heard her sink into the bath tub, breathing deeply. Her breaths became more ragged and cries erupted from her chest. I could hear the sounds of her hands through the water. I could just imagine her bringing her knees close to her body as she hugged them, rocking back and forth slightly.
My body moved without my control. I moved outside of the door and listened closer. Her sobs were loud in my ears. I touched the door knob but then thought twice.
"Bella, are you okay?"
I heard the water shift. "I'm alright. It's okay."
"I wish that was true." I placed my hands on the door. I don't think she heard me or she chose to ignore it.
"I won't be much longer, I promise." I heard the water move again. The strawberry scent of her shampoo wafted from underneath the door.
I sat down beside the door. I could still hear her crying as she moved quickly to clean herself. I could tell how hard she was scrubbing her body just from the sounds.
"Oh, Bella. My poor Bella." I whispered.
