Author's Note: I'm a sucker for reviews. It works the same way as when I send new chapters to my alpha readers for my manuscripts-I get feedback, I have a sudden insatiable desire to write. It's horrible, especially because my life is crazy busy. I have, like, zero self-control, apparently. But I have accepted who I am and the dirty dishes in my sink. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Eight: Stars

"Where are we going?" I asked when, instead of heading towards a parking garage, as I'd assumed Edward would be driving us somewhere, Edward began walking toward the west side of campus.

"Not very far," said Edward cryptically. I tried not to be irritated at that, as that just seemed to be Edward.

"My dad always says I should text someone where I will be and who I'll be with," I said, hoping to guilt it out of him.

"That's wise," Edward nodded, still not giving me more details. "Didn't you say your father was a police officer?"

"When did I tell you that?" I asked, trying to remember if it was something I'd mentioned the night before.

"You told-" here his jaw clenched again. "That vile, pathetic excuse for a human being at the party. You said you were a cop's daughter."

I mentally added "superhuman hearing" to my growing list of Edward's abilities, because he'd definitely not been anywhere close when I'd said that. "He's the police chief. So I guess you could say I've been raised to be an upstanding citizen and all that."

"Very sensible," Edward chuckled. "Well, if you'd like to text your roommates to let them know where we are going, you can tell them we are headed to the Theodor Jacobsen Observatory."

"I thought that was only open on Tuesday nights," I said, not bothering to pull my phone from my pocket. Knowing my history, I probably should have texted someone, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Despite his mood swings and inclination towards self-loathing, I trusted Edward completely. Once again, probably really stupid on my part, but I honestly didn't care. Not when he caught me staring at him out of the corner of his eye and smiled that crooked grin.

"I pulled a few strings," said Edward, pulling my thoughts back to our conversation. "Well, Carlisle pulled a few strings. They moved the date for cleaning and inspecting the telescope to tonight and agreed to let us in to watch."

"I've wanted to go," I said. "But I haven't had time."

"How many credits are you taking?"

"Just fifteen," I said. I'd considered adding another class, but it wouldn't have allowed me enough time for a part-time job, let alone any time to visit Charlie. I looked up to see Edward watching me. I bit my lip nervously and his lips twitched.

"What?" I asked, feeling self-conscious.

"Nothing," Edward said. "I'm just trying to figure you out. I'm normally pretty good at reading people, but you…"

"What's wrong with me?" I asked, fighting the urge to smooth my hair.

"Nothing, Bella," Edward assured me as we walked up the stairs to the observatory. He knocked on the door, then turned back to me. "You're absolutely perfect the way you are. I just need to work on being a bit more observant, I suppose."

He could have said that he was secretly an alien, and I still would have been riding the high of his previous statement. He thought I was absolutely perfect… I couldn't help holding out hope that that was some sort of declaration of his feelings, but then I remembered what Angela said about my blathering in the hospital and I felt my face flush. That was all I could think about.

The astronomers ushered us inside, closing the door behind us as they showed us the oldest telescope I had ever seen, explaining that it was over one hundred ten years old. The middle-aged man, who introduced himself as Dr. Sylven, opened the ceiling, while the other man, Professor Alexander, moved the telescope about, allowing us to look through it as he explained the different celestial features which could be viewed from this particular observatory. After a half-hour of awe-inspiring information and views, the men excused themselves to continue their cleaning and inspection of the telescope, and Edward and I made our way back down the steps.

I stood somewhat awkwardly in the lamplight of the nearby sidewalk, wondering if this was all Edward had planned and hoping I wouldn't have to say goodbye to him quite yet.

"I hope you enjoyed that," he said, smiling down at me and making my stomach flutter.

"I did," I said, and it was true. What other boy would take a girl stargazing through a century-old telescope on a first date? First date. I realized with trepidation that I hoped that was what this was-the first of many night walks around campus with Edward, perhaps with him holding my hand instead of meticulously keeping at least twelve inches between us at all times like he was doing.

"Good," said Edward. "But I believe I promised you dinner. Come on, I'm just parked over here."

I think I might have sighed a little too loudly with relief that my wish for more time was coming true. Edward led me to his car in the nearby parking garage, opening the passenger side door for me. I took a moment to appreciate the sleekness of the vehicle (now that I was sitting in it completely uninjured), noting that Jacob probably would have loved it. There was something unassuming about it, much like Edward.

"Where to now?" I asked, not really worried about our location. I was more curious than anything.

"This one may be a little more complicated to explain to your roommates," Edward warned.

"I'm not afraid of complicated," I said.

"Our destination is about a half-hour drive away. Is that alright?"

I nodded, not wanting to take my eyes off him. "Tell me something about yourself," I said, wanting to flesh out the picture of him in my mind into something more realistic than what I'd been imagining because there was no way the dream could fit the reality. It just wasn't possible.

"I'd rather hear about you," he said, turning to glance at me.

"Uh-uh," I said. "You tell me something first. I hardly know anything about you and it's driving me crazy."

"You know I was adopted. You know how large my family is, and that my father is a doctor."

"Yes, in addition to your superhuman abilities," I said. "But those are just facts, I want to know something about you."

Edward didn't seem to have a response for that. It was as if he'd never considered I would find him interesting or worth getting to know. What would we have been doing here if that were the case?

"What are your likes and dislikes? What do you do for fun?" I prompted, hoping he would give me something to work with.

"Fun?" Edward repeated, his confused face matching his tone. "I suppose...I enjoy playing the piano. And reading. It helps pass the time."

Piano. Now we were getting somewhere. "You play the piano?"

Edward smiled slightly. "Yes. What about you, Bella?"

"I took ballet when I was little, but that didn't go over well, so I think my mom gave up on the idea of extra-curricular activities. I'd prefer to stick to reading. It's far less dangerous and there's a much lower chance of my making a fool of myself. But back to you-so are you the only superhero in your family, or is it like a family business type thing, like The Incredibles?"

"What?" Edward said. He looked like he was trying not to laugh. "That's your theory? That I'm some kind of superhero?"

I looked down at my lap, feeling incredibly stupid. Maybe I could laugh it off, tell him I was joking...but I wasn't.

"Is it just you? I don't try to give me that crap about me having hit my head. I know what I saw, so you can give it up." I began comparing the family members I had met to Edward in my mind. Both Carlisle and Edward felt cool, almost cold to the touch. I wasn't quite sure what that meant, but it had to be something. And they and Alice all shared the same shade of amber eyes.

"It's not my secret to tell, Bella. It could implicate more than myself-my entire family would be in danger."

Now we were getting somewhere! So his family was involved somehow. "Danger? Danger from whom? No, let me guess. You can't tell me."

He hung his head and I resisted the urge to bark that he should look at the road.

"There's nothing more I'd rather have than for you to know me as a truly am...maybe then you'd realize what a mistake it is to waste your time on me. When will you start believing how bad I am for you?"

I couldn't take his self-loathing any longer. If he wasn't going to be honest, someone had to. "When I stop feeling like I'm whole for the first time when I'm with you."

Edward gaped at me for a moment before turning back to the road. "It's just infatuation. It's a product of what I am-I'm designed to make you want to be near me."

It physically hurt to have him call the unnamed emotions I felt for him "infatuation." He had no idea how I felt, and at that moment I wasn't sure I would be able to tell him. He thought I was being childish, surely. "What are you, some secret experiment gone wrong?"

He laughed darkly. "Stop guessing."

"I don't think I can," I warned him.

"I know," he said. "But I wish you would."

We arrived at our destination moments later. It was a park overlooking the city. I didn't know what I had been expecting, but so far Edward Cullen had been anything but predictable. As he laid a blanket out on the grass and arranged an assortment of picnic food from a cooler, I found myself staring at him once again, wishing that I could figure him out.

"I don't know if you would have rather gone to a restaurant," he said. "But I didn't want to share you with anyone. I'd rather just sit here and talk with you if that's alright."

I nodded dumbly and filled a plate for myself. It was his turn to watch me.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" I asked.

Edward shook his head. "I'm not really hungry."

I frowned, not liking the idea of stuffing my face in front of him. But I was also starving. As if sensing my thoughts, Edward reached for one of the rolls he had brought to make sandwiches, took a large bite, chewed, and swallowed. He grimaced slightly, then smiled. It was a forced smile, but I appreciated the effort anyway.

"Do you like the city?" Edward asked, quickly changing the subject. He looked out at the Seattle skyline.

"I guess," I said. "I've never really thought about it before. It's just a place to live."

"But how does it compare to Forks?"

"Forks is…" I began, trying to find the right words to describe my feelings about the place I'd come to think of as homes. "Small, quiet...cold and wet."

"And lonely?"

"No, never lonely, although I did miss my mom a lot at first. I still do. But I'm an introvert, so the ever-friendly people of Forks take some getting used to. Why? Do you prefer the city?"

"No," said Edward slowly, looking at me in that way that made my heart beat faster. "I prefer the quiet. The city is so full of people. I like being here with you. The silence is surprisingly calming. I can't remember ever having experienced anything quite like it."

"I know what you mean," I said. Edward smirked in a way that told me he didn't think I had any idea. It was incredibly frustrating, especially since he refused to explain himself.

"That's incredibly frustrating, you know," I said, giving voice to my thoughts.

"I'm sorry," he said, quick to apologize without even knowing what he was sorry for.

"You make little cryptic remarks and have those annoyingly knowing smiles and I'm left here in the dark, wondering what you're thinking. And you refuse to tell me."

Edward laughed loudly at that, causing some of the couples nearby to look in our direction. It was the first time I'd noticed there were other people in the park. That was the effect Edward had on me, I was sure. Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm sure I wondered if such a pull to someone was healthy. Maybe I did have no sense of self-preservation.

"There you go again," I said accusingly. "Laughing at some inside joke with yourself. Is this some defense mechanism you're created for yourself to deal with third-wheel syndrome?" I asked, referring to his confession about his family dynamic.

"Not at all," said Edward. "What you said was just...ironic."

"But you're not going to explain why." It wasn't a question. I knew him well enough by now to know that he was incredibly stubborn, which I wasn't sure boded well for us (if there ever was a chance of an "us"). If he hadn't learned so already, Edward would soon discover that I could match him toe for toe in that regard.

"You're very bright, Bella," said Edward quietly. "As much as I don't like it, I have little doubt that you'll figure it out eventually. I have a hard time being as careful as I should around you."

"Why is that, do you think?" I wondered. Edward watched me closely for a time before he replied.

"I've never had a desire to share my secrets, to share who I am, but I find with you...I don't want to have to hide."

The image of Edward I had created, the Byronic hero that he was, shifted in my mind as I saw him in a new light. Whatever he was, whatever it was that he couldn't tell me wasn't some secret designed to slowly drive me insane with curiosity. He wanted me to know him. Was such a thing possible? For him to want me, in whatever small degree? The fact that his lips were sealed on the matter seemed to cause him pain and, as he looked out at the city lights, I felt drawn to him, not as just the man that made my heart beat wildly, but on a deeper level. The words of Jane Eyre rang through my mind: "It is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal,—as we are!" Let everything else crumble at our feet, our pasts, our families, our secrets, and insecurities and we were just...us. Surely that would be enough to breach this impossible distance between us.

I reached out and placed my hand on top of his where it rested on the blanket, and his head whipped around, his eyes boring into the place where our hands sat. Painfully slowly, he looked up at me, the same intensity in his gaze. I knew I was blushing, knew my face and neck were the same color as a tomato or lobster, or whatever other red things might be used to describe just such a blush. I swallowed audibly, my body clearly wishing to intensify my chance for embarrassment, but I did my best to ignore it and focus instead on him.

"Then don't," I said at last. "Stop avoiding me, stop hiding from me. Just be here, be who you are."

A crisp autumn breeze blew through the park, and I visibly shivered, wishing I'd been sensible enough to bring my jacket. Edward moved quickly to kneel and pull out an extra blanket he had packed, placing it carefully around my shoulders. And then he froze, except for his hands drifting down the blanket until he sat quietly before me.

I'd seen that same look on a boy's face before-at least I hoped I wasn't misinterpreting it. You could never tell with Edward. I'd seen it when Mike and then Eric had asked me to prom, and when Jake had tried to kiss me the previous summer. Attraction. Could he possibly be as attracted to me as I was to him at this moment and perhaps every other encounter I'd ever had with Edward? As far as ideals went, Edward was the unattainable, the kind of guy a girl like me could only ever dream about. But then...why was Edward Cullen staring at my lips? Why was his brow furrowed in the picture-perfect, absolute definition of teen angst?

My phone rang. Whereas I visibly jumped, Edward only closed his eyes against the sound and slowly turned away. The connection was broken between us, and I felt a physical pull at my ribs as I slowly reached into my pocket to see who was calling.

"It's my dad," I said, hearing the horror in my voice. Not only was this an extremely awkward moment to have interrupted, but I'd also been dreading a call from my father. I was surprised when he hadn't called me incessantly after my brief hospital stint, as he was definitely a worrier, but this was the moment of truth and, unfortunately, it couldn't be avoided.

"You should answer," said Edward. "He's probably pretty worried about you."

I nodded, took a deep breath, and accepted the call.

"Hey, Dad," I said as brightly as possible.

"Bella!" Charlie said, sighing with relief. "Are you okay? I just got home and checked the messages. You were in the hospital, but they didn't say what for. Something about HIPPA, I'm sure."

"Don't worry about it, Dad," I said as lightly as possible. "It was just a little accident, you know? Please don't call Mom about this one. It wasn't even that big of a deal, I wasn't admitted or anything. And my friends were there to take care of me."

"Jessica and Angela?" he asked and I knew he was fishing.

"Yes, and Ben and Edward."

"Ben-that's Angela's boyfriend. Who is Edward? I thought Jessica was with Mike." Bless his heart, Charlie tried so hard, for my sake, to keep up with the teenage drama I knew drove both of us crazy.

"No, uh, they broke up," I said, unsure how to respond. "Edward is a friend from one of my classes."

"A friend, huh?" Charlie asked. He sounded tired. "How good a friend?" Oh, for heaven's sake, Charlie! Can't a girl catch a break? Edward seemed to perk up slightly at this, waiting for my answer with peaked curiosity. I tried to be as discreet as possible as I pressed the button on my phone to lower the volume, but it was probably pointless, given Edward's superhuman hearing.

"Hey, did you say you just got home?" I asked, praying that he would take the bait. "Where have you been that you couldn't check your messages?"

Charlie sighed long and I stiffened, suddenly on edge. "I've been down at the reservation. It's Harry Clearwater."

"Oh, no," I whispered. "Is he okay?"

"He passed away last night, Bells," Charlie said. I gasped. Here I was, worried that Charlie was going to give me the third degree about the nature of my accident, and he was mourning. It was a testament to how hard he tried as a father that he had been willing to engage in small talk to put me at ease. I was a horrible daughter.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I felt Edward's cold hand clasp my free hand, rubbing slow circles with his thumb. I appreciated the gesture, but it was incredibly distracting.

"He was a good friend," was all Charlie was able to choke out.

"I'm coming home," I said, as equally surprised as Charlie when the words left my mouth.

"I don't want you to mess anything up with your scholarship," said Charlie quickly. "You worked really hard to get where you are."

"Don't worry about me, Dad. I'm ahead in some of my classes, and a few of them are actually pretty easy," I hated that Edward was privy to this conversation. I didn't want him thinking I was vain or that I thought I was better than other people. "When is the funeral?"

"Monday. But listen, you focus on school-"

"I'm coming. If I leave tonight I can be home sometime in the early morning. Don't worry about waiting up."

"You shouldn't be driving through the night. That's not safe. The number of fatal accidents that happen because of-"

"Drowsy drivers, yeah I know, Dad. If I get tired, I'll pull off. I'd better go, I need to head back to my dorm to pack. Try to get some sleep. I'll see you soon. Love you."

I hung up before Charlie could try and change my mind, sending Edward an apologetic look as I did so. He squeezed my hand slightly, then stood up.

"I'm sorry," he said after he had hurried and packed the picnic fair and we were walking back to the car. "Who was he?"

"One of my dad's best friends. He was a really great guy."

Edward nodded in understanding. "Let me drive you to Forks."

I shook my head, my incomparable independence rearing its head before I could think through my answer. "That's okay. I have my truck."

"But your Dad is worried about you having an accident. I'm not the least bit tired-I could drive and you could rest. We could take my car...or your truck if you'd prefer."

I bit my lip, battling internally. I didn't want to not spend time with Edward, but what would it look like if I showed up at home with a boy I brought home from college after only a month? It was too soon, both for Charlie and for me.

"I'm not going to make you sit through a funeral, Edward. They are depressing enough for me, I don't want to subject you to that."

"Let me drop you off, then," he suggested. "I can come and pick you up on Monday night or Tuesday or whatever day you're ready to come back to school. That way you don't have to waste hours in a car. You can bring your homework and work on that while I drive."

He was reaching, and we both knew it, but I wasn't sure he understood just how close I was to crumbling.

"Please, Bella," he asked when we'd both climbed back into his car. "Let me help you, not because you need help but because...I would love the chance to spend a little more time with you."

So there it was. He felt the pull too, to some small degree. And I didn't have the strength left to fight it.

"Okay," I said, and I was surprised by how light I felt, despite the circumstances. We were quiet most of the way back as I worried about Charlie and Sue and Leah and Seth and all of my friends who were hurting.

"Is half an hour long enough to pack?" Edward asked as we arrived at my dorm. He'd held my hand as we walked from the parking garage, and, somehow, the small gesture filled me with warmth.

"That's fine," I said, sniffing slightly. He waited for me to fish my key out of my pocket before he started back down the hallway. I felt like a horrible person for allowing myself a glance back at him before I hurried inside.