I waited as patiently as I could by the door. My thumb and forefinger held my nose as I breathed in slowly. Bella's heart rate was quicker then normal as the tears continued to streak down her face. I wanted to run in to the small bathroom and clutch her to my body. I wanted to kiss her pain away.

15 painful minutes later she finally emerged from the bathroom. Her skin was a fire red. She was clad in khaki shorts and a black tank top, her legs covered in black knee socks. She knelt beside me in the little hall way. I didn't say a word as I brought her closer to me. I let my legs slide down and she placed herself on my lap. I held her for a long time before I let her move, even a little bit.

"Lets go watch Donald Duck." She tried to sound cheerful.

I didn't answer her but picked her up, bridal style, and took her down the stairs. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she laughed softly. I laid her on her father's recliner. I started the movie and turned to her. "Do you need anything?"

"I wouldn't mind some popcorn and a drink,please?" She looked up at me through her beautiful thick eyelashes.

"Alright. I think I can handle that." I rushed into the kitchen. I pulled out one of the boxes of popcorn that I got the night before. I read the instructions on the back of the box carefully and stuck it inside of the microwave. While it cooked I pulled out a bowl for the popcorn and a glass for some soda. It felt oddly normal to do this for her. Normally I wouldn't of been completely sickened by the thought of touching human food. But she wanted this and I could do it for her. I was happy to do it. I added ice to the cup and poured the drink slowly. Watching it foam was interesting, something I'd never done before.

I pulled out the popcorn and poured it into the bowl. I decided to also grab some of the candy that I bought the night before and shoved it into my pockets. Bella was giggling in the chair when I returned, with her feet pulled underneath her as she watched the show. "Here you go, I hope this is okay."

She took it from me and a small smile spread across her face. "It's prefect." She took a sip of the drink and set it on the stand beside her.

"I also thought you'd like some of this." I pulled the candy from my pocket. She giggled sweetly before taking the candy from my hands. She picked out one of the packages and placed the rest next to the coke.

She stood up and motioned for me to sit down. I did what I was told. She sat in my lap, the bowl of popcorn in hers.

"What does that taste like?" I asked her with real curiosity.

She didn't answer but offered me a piece. I snatched it from her fingers in a quick motion with my mouth. She giggled and retracted her finger. I smiled at the reaction I got, trying to ignore the taste.

"What do you think?" She cocked her head to the side.

"I think it taste like cardboard. Or at least, I imagine it does." I made a face.

"May I ask what happens when you eat regular food?" She stuck a piece of popcorn in her mouth, chewing slowly.

"Carlisle has a theory that our..." I thought of how to word it," stomach acid dissolves it almost instantly. So it doesn't bother us, besides tasting horrible." I pulled a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Carlisle is your father?"

"Yes, in a way."

"What do you mean, in a way?" She continued to press.

"He changed me after my parents died." I didn't have any real emotion about it. Bella's face scrunched together as she thought. I wondered briefly if her black eye hurt when she did it.

"I'm sorry. How did they die? How did he change you?" She rambled a bit.

"You're so full of questions" I muttered.

"Please..." she whined softly.

"Fine." I sighed. "They died of Spanish influenza. Carlisle changed me because my mother begged him to save me. He's always said it seemed like she just knew. He had been alone for so long. I was the first he changed. Honestly, I don't remember much about my human life."

"How did you change you?" She asked again.

"I won't tell you that. Not right now." I muttered angrily. She didn't need to know about that. She shouldn't have to worry about it. She seem to understand and dropped the conversation. She nibbled on m&ms and popcorn as she watched the movie silently. I sighed, and ran my fingers over the back of her neck. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. One day, will you tell me though?"

"We'll see." I leaned my face into her hair. The scent wafted through my nose. It was like a drug, something I couldn't go without.

I heard Charlie's thoughts. They were about 3 miles away. I growled to myself, "Bella, I have to go for now. Charlie is coming."

She turned towards the clock. "I was hoping we'd have more time alone." It was only 12:30.

"I'll be back around 2, okay? It won't be that long. Will you be okay?" I stroked her cheek. She nodded weakly.

I leaned in slowly to kiss her lips but stopped. I had to let her come to me, so that I would not scare her. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently to mine.

"I'll be back before you have time to miss me." I pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before I sped away.

I never slowed as I ran back to my home. It took less then 10 minutes to get there. The breeze was refreshing. No one was home when I got there, which I was very glad off. I decided to take a quick shower. I could feel the stress build up in my body now that I was away from her.

I stood under the warm stream when it hit me, hard. The guilt that washed over me was like a poison, burning me from the inside. I had let this happen to her. I should have been paying better attention. She'll be damaged for the rest of time because of my carelessness. I was put on this earth to protect her, to be with her, and I failed. I slid down the wall of the shower and sat there for a while.

The feelings were overwhelming. It seemed like being with Bella kept them away. Nothing else mattered when I was with her. As long as she was in my arms the world was a place I wanted to be. Without her I wanted to drown in my pain. The only thing that got me up was the fact I knew that this was doing her no good. I dried off quickly and redressed. I could smell Bella on my clothes.

As I walked back to my car, I thought of what I could do for her today. I tried to think of something to keep her mind off of all this. To be completely honest, I didn't know what she liked to do. I needed to learn everything I could about her. Though, I did decide I would stop by the florist to get her something. I loved seeing her react to that bear.

It didn't take me long to pick out what I wanted. There truly wasn't much to chose from, but I did find something I thought would fit. Two dozen roses in every shade of red, pink, white, peach and yellow that you could think of. I hoped she had a vase, I mused when as I glanced at the flowers in my passenger seat.

As I got closer and closer I heard Charlie's thoughts. They were frantic. They were just like the night that she was... raped. I stepped hard on the gas, pulling the car forward as quickly as I could. When I pulled into the drive way Charlie's mind screamed in mine. I didn't bother to shut the car door or did I bother to knock. I was lucky I didn't break the door to a million pieces when I came in. I ran straight towards Charlie.

His eyes were frantic as he knelt beside Bella on the couch. I slid down to my knees beside him. "What happened?" I demanded.

"She was okay for a few minutes, when I first got here. But then she didn't eat and she started to shake. She screamed and cried but now..." He waved his hand over his daughter. She laid flat on her stomach, her face turned to the side. Bella's eyes were wide and unblinking. Her bottom lip was slightly bloody, where her teeth pressed into her flesh. The scent made venom pool in my mouth and I swallowed it back to speak.

"Bella. I'm sorry. I'm here. It's okay." I rubbed her back. Her heart beat was slow, but not dangerously so. It almost seemed like she was catatonic. I brought my hand up to her cheek and pushed the hair out of her face. Her eyelashes were slightly matted with tears. I listened for her breath. It was slow and shallow. "I should of never left." I cursed myself so quietly that no one besides me could hear it.

"Wake up, honey." Charlie touched her hand. Like a shot, Bella sat up and brought her hand up to her chest. Her eyes were unseeing. She rocked herself gently, mumbling to herself.

"Please, no don't. Don't touch me. Please." Her arms wrapped around her legs.

Charlie looked utterly broken. Tears fell freely from his eyes. I reached to touch her but paused. I turned to Charlie and he simply nodded, understanding what I was asking with my eyes. 'Is it okay to touch your daughter even if you can't?' I brought my hands to hers and pried them off her legs. She whimpered slightly but did not scream or recoil.

"Isabella, it's me. I'm here now. Everything will be okay." I sat beside her on the couch. I moved closer to her and brushed my lips against her forehead. Her skin was covered in a cool sweat that was salty sweet. I ran my fingers over her temple and she turned her face towards mine.

"Edward?" She asked slightly confused. She blinked her eyes several times and then took a large breath. She leaned her head down onto my shoulder and I pulled her close to me. Her tiny fingers clutched to my side.

"It saw it all over again. It was like they were doing it... all over again. I wanted to die." She muttered into my flesh.

"No, don't say that. I'll be here for you. I will always be here for you. I will never, ever, let anyone touch you again. Do you understand me, Bella?" I felt anger well up inside my chest. I was not angry at her but at myself and those monsters.

She nodded. I looked at Charlie. I felt so awful for him. He took a deep breath and set back on the couch while I continued to rock her.

"Bells, I took some time off so I can be with you. Also, I wanted to ask if you wanted your mother to come up from Florida..."

"No!" She shrieked which surprised him. "No, Charlie. Please, I just want to go back to normal. It'll be okay. I'll be alright I promise. Just give me until Sunday, okay?"

"I'm not leaving you alone. Look what happened when I was here!" He cried, his face turning a dark shade of red.

"Sir, I'll stay with her."

"Edward, that's very nice of you but I don't think it's a good idea. You can't miss school and I can watch Bella myself." His face was practically glowing, it was almost purple. "You can't spend very waking minute with her."

"That's up to Bella." I stated simply. He growled and threw his hands up.

"I can handle this myself." He shouted. Bella cringed into my body.

"Daddy, please. Just until Sunday. I'll go back to school on Monday and pretend nothing happened." Bella whispered.

He threw his hands up. "Fine. I'm not going to win this am I? Next week you're going to the doctor though. You can't just pretend this never happened."

"No..." she sobbed.

"Bella, I think your father is right. It might be a good idea to see someone about this." I soothed.

"Fine..." she sobbed again. She pressed her face into my neck, her body shaking slightly.

Charlie mouthed 'Thank you' to me, even if he wasn't happy about this. There was nothing he could do though. I would hold her for forever if that's what made her happy.

"Bella, I'm going to take you up to bed, and I'm going to bring you some of your pain medication." I didn't ask, but told.

I put my arms underneath her legs and swiftly moved her up the stairs. "I don't need pain pills." She whined.

"You are in pain, there is no shame in it. Plus, if you take them I have something for you." I sat her down on the bed.

"Oh, you didn't have to give me something." She sat up, pouting slightly.

I pressed her down gently. "Do you remember what I told you last night? That I'll spend my money whatever way I want."

She sneered at me and tried to sit up again. "Edward..."

"Bella... if you don't lay down I will strap you down." I pushed her down once more. She groaned and did as I asked.

I ran to my car first, grabbed the flowers and shut the door. I went back into the house. I grabbed a small glass of water and one of her pain pills. I held the glass and the pill in one hand and the flowers behind my back as I went into her room. She tried to peek behind my back.

"Take this first and then you'll see it." I smiled at her innocently.

She smirked and took the glass from me. She took the pill and threw it back into her throat. She swallowed it without drinking the water, placing the water on the small table beside the bed. She opened her mouth to show that she took it. I rolled my eyes at her sarcastic action. I pulled the flowers behind my back. Her face instantly brightened.

"Oh Edward, they're beautiful." She took them from my hands and brought them to her nose. She drew in a long, deep breath through her nose. She placed the flowers down on the table and rose to her knees. Her arms wrapped around my waist.

That's when it happened. That's the moment I found out what kind of being I was. A man or monster?

She leaned forward quickly, her lips crashing into mine. The blood from earlier still clung to her lips. She deepened the kiss further. The blood smeared against my cool flesh. The blood and saliva mixed creating the most delicious flavor I've ever tasted. No candy could be as sweet. She tasted like heaven. My throat burned wildly. My fingers found their way to the back of her head. I pulled her back slightly. She was panting, blowing the scent of her blood into my face. The blood was smugged against her lips, making them an even more tempting shade of red. I could see the blood pulse under her skin, the sound of her pounding heart in my ears. The venom swirled in my mouth.

"Oh my God..." I breathed.