The Painter

Chapter 22

"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be."~ Abraham Lincoln

~O~

Edward lay awake next to Bella in her bed, folding himself next to her.

It was protective, but it was more than that. He was seemingly easing her just by being close to her.

Each time he tried to move away, her breath would hitch much like the shudders after a painful cry. But when he held her close she relaxed into his touch and went back into a deep sleep.

Edward would have to explain his presence in her room, he knew that. But for now he was enjoying the quiet moment, all the while watchful for any shade of willowing darkness.

The thought of any type of shadow being after her seemed ludicrous as he held her now, but he couldn't help but wonder if she carried her own darkness or depression with her.

Like a PK- psychokinesis.

It would explain some things.

Many artists throughout history had some kind of lunacy about them what made them have the ability to create things that was outside reality.

Dali came to Edward's mind and Picasso was another.

But Bella didn't seem to have any kind of madness.

Her paintings turned darker once she moved to Forks.

All of her paintings seemed almost whimsical: butterflies and trees, water, and even herself.

The painting of Bella as a tree spoke to him.

The invisible, visible woman that lay against the tree was in a provocative position. It was one that if she were lying in a bed, she could be open to having a lover or perhaps mid-orgasmic bliss or at least the cusp of it.

Her head tilted up, eyes closed, lips open and begging to be kissed.

Much like she looked as she lay next to him.

Edward groaned, face pushed deep into the pillow as his body reacted to his thoughts.

"Edward," She breathed, still asleep.

His head popped up, watching her movement. Her body tense and slightly shifting into recoil.

He watched her as he moved away, albeit unwillingly, and stood close the window as her hand reached out and then gripped the air, clutching tightly. Her body moved slightly, painting breathes within the cool air. She moved, then, her body shifting, seeking for something. It was possible it was him.

But Edward was assaulted by the pheromones she suddenly emitted. Her body suddenly flushed as her heart beat widely.

A sex dream? He wondered.

But Bella whimpered his name. A tender, pained cry and he took a step closer before he could stop himself.

A whoosh of breath, her body, shuddered, stiffly for several moments, before Edward's eyes turned black with lust, closing them to try to control himself.

He opened his eyes just as she woke from her intense dream, her eyes finding him across the room in with help from the fairy lights above her bed.

Her eyes narrowed, confused, as she turned from him to flick the beside light on but if he was really there at all, but he was gone.

Nothing but a figment of her imagination.

Just as it should be

Edward crossed the thick grasses, pants wet at the ankles as he walked toward home.

.

It was the first time Bella dreamt of Edward Cullen.

At least, where she knew it was him.

Her body was cold now, her body slick from sweat and lust from her dream.

Never had she had a dream like that.

With a smile, she touched her lips. The cool fingertips much like the way his lips could have felt on hers.

"Edward," She said aloud, unknowing that he could still hear her, stilling him. He turned toward the lit window, watching.

She moved forward, eyes landing on the messy painting lying on her floor before the memories assaulted her.

He was there, with her, in her room.

He was cradling her, comforting her as she cried.

She couldn't even remember why she was crying.

But she remembered him.

She moved toward the window, searching for any type of clue that he was out there, but she knew he was.

Bella lifted her hand to the glass, touching it as if it was his chest.

Edward lifted his hand into the air, fingers splayed out for a moment before he turned away from her, leaving her there.

Minutes later, she moved from the window and took a minute put some water on her face.

But she was wide awake and she sat in the middle of her bed, letting the whole night play over and over in her head.

Her cell chimed, breaking her from her musings and she looked over to the phone, flashing a warning of a new message.

She opened the screen to an unknown number and read:

"Be Safe."

.

Edward sat in his Volvo watched the rain splatter over his windshield.

Alice had told him that she was going to be at school that day, but Edward worried that she wouldn't. He could see that he left her in a better state than he had found her in but what about the next time? What could he possibly do to insure that she wouldn't get so upset again?

He and Alice had talked when he got home, his body tired but a live wire. He could tell he needed some sort of release and Alice opted to go hunting with him so they could be away from the listening ears of him family.

He agreed, leaving the Cullen house before he even entered in.

They hunted for hours, Edward took down a deer and a mountain lion before he seemed appeased enough to talk.

But even as the words touched his lips, Alice shook her head, already seeing what he was going to say.

"She's your mate, Edward." Alice sighed. "The more you fight it the harder it will be on the both of you."

"I can't always be there to help. I don't even know if I helped."

"You helped. But it's obvious she's open for suggestion."

"I saw that," Edward frowned. It was true. He and Alice went off on a tangent about the possibility of there being some kind of darkness haunting her- some kind of shady presence that always seemed to be around her.

"She tail-spinned into a panic-attack painting frenzy," Alice said quietly. "I didn't even see it coming."

"We can't do that again, I agree."

"It's not a walk on eggshells around Bella- thing I'm saying, but maybe Esme is right and we just play it by her lead?"

Edward nodded, remembering Bella sleeping soundly with him next to her.

Then her dream. She seemed haunted even is sleep.

He never wanted to be able to read minds more.

"It'll happen, Edward," Alice frowned. "But go slow and we'll let her work through it."

His eyes darted to her, wide and searching, but she was blocking him.

"Let's go. We have to get to school. Bella's going to be late."

"Why?"

Alice smiled as she shook her head. "Girls have to have their own secrets sometimes, Edward."

She ran off, leaving him there as she laughed all the way back home.

But as the rain fell over his windshield, Edward remembered his own moments where he thought of his mate intimately, but knowing that for their intimacy to eventually happen, he was going to have to start courting Bella.

Was she even ready for that kind of aspect in a relationship?

"She's an adult." Alice scoffed.

"When did you become a mind reader?"

"When images of you two together fill my head in an instant."

Edward scoffed but Alice was serious.

"This is a temporary thing. Her anxiety isn't going to control her forever and when it comes up- it'll be dealt with." Alice shrugged. "Just like we all do when it comes up."

A blur moved across his window and Edward's chest tightened.

He grabbed the door handle and slammed the door, walking briskly toward her vehicle and stood outside the door.

But Bella shrieked, seeing a slight form of someone out of the corner of her eye before she placed her hand over her chest to calm her nerves.

She opened the door, her warmth pouring out into the cold rain and gave Edward a slight smile.

Bella's face flushed, remembering her dream for an awkward moment before she greeted him.

"Edward, what are you doing out here? You're getting so wet."

Edward grinned, smirking, as the water dripped from the ends of his hair. "I was waiting for you."

She was taken back with his words for a moment before her face reddened. "Why?" Her words were breathy and way softer than she wanted.

"I was hoping you would let me take you out to dinner sometime?"

It was as if the sun parted the clouds, the light on Bella's face was so bright with happiness. "Really?"

He grinned, pulling the wet hair off his forehead, uncaring how wet they both seemed to be at the moment. "Really."

"I'd like that," She grinned. "When?"

"Tonight?"

Bella laughed, shaking her head with his antics. "Okay,"

"Okay."

"Okay… and then you can tell me how you got in my house?" Bella turned to watch Edward falter, lips lined as his eyes scrunched tight for a second.

Then he smirked, looking at her flushed face, her wet hair and bright eyes. "Only if you tell me about that dream you had, first." Edward winked as Bella gasped as he grabbed her hand in his and led her into the school.

.

A/N: Did you notice the whole Twilight scene, there? Every time I read it and watch it I see it as a sex dream he was watching her have. *shrug*

Bella is 18 already and it is rated M for a reason.
I just want to say thank you for embracing this story the way you do. I know there are so many out there dealing with people with sensitivities and it's a work in progress. Bella doesn't have depression but she does have her whole bag of stuff to deal with and she does.